What Now?
by SerenBex
Summary: Set in the same AU as Not Another One?/Just Watch Me/Let It Be. What if Ronnie really was Katy's Mum? What would have happened? Written after someone asked me those very questions! Rated M mainly for language.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: So, just before I ended **_**Let It Be**_**, someone sent me a message or left a review saying they'd love to see what would happen if Ronnie actually was Katy's Mum, rather than her sister. I cannot for the life of me remember who that was, but I loved the idea so this fic is dedicated to them! You probably know who you are! :)**_

_**Anyway, this is set mainly after Ronnie is released from Prison and shows how different things could have been if Katy found out she was Ronnie's daughter. It deviates from the other fics somewhere around chapter 60 of Not Another One? :)**_

_**Hope you enjoy it, anyway! :D**_

_**x**_

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><p>Katy stared in the mirror, desperately wondering what she should do about the situation she had found herself in. There were only two options as far as she could see; there was the right thing to do and there was the easy thing to do. It was so tempting to take the easy path and that was the route that Roxy and everyone else was telling her to take. But Katy knew, deep down, that she couldn't take that option. That would mean abandoning what her heart was telling her to do.<p>

She couldn't betray Ronnie like that. She wouldn't abandon her mother.

A soft cry from the other room brought her out of her reverie and the young woman sighed, turning away from her reflection with a frown. The Katy in the mirror hadn't been any help in making her decision anyway.

Ronnie hadn't been there for the birth of her granddaughter. She had missed Ruby's first birthday. She had missed her second birthday, too, just a week and a half ago. There were so many things the woman had missed in the lives of the daughter who had been taken from her and the granddaughter she barely knew. Whatever had happened and however anyone else felt about Ronnie, Katy refused to let her miss out on anything else.

But, as well as that, the young woman was selfish. She wanted her mum back.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Early 2011 <strong>_

_"I thought, at first, maybe Danielle had been lying about who she was after all. I thought maybe YOU were my Amy. When Auntie Peggy told me… I flew off the handle because the idea of you being actually related to me made me think that maybe I was right. Maybe I've been grieving for a daughter who was alive and well after all. Then Roxy showed me your birth certificate… But then I started thinking; birth certificates can be easily forged and there's something about you that I just..."_

_Katy and Ronnie stood in the middle of the road, staring at each other. The teenager wanted to believe that it could be true; that Ronnie really was her mother. But optimism wasn't something she was good at and she had other things to focus on. She needed to get to Connor at the hospital and sort things out once and for all._

_"Ronnie… this is crazy."_

_When the blonde spoke again, the teenager knew that she had upset her. Ronnie's tone was hard and cold and she barely looked at the younger Mitchell. "You're right. Let's get to the hospital and sort this out. Then we can go home and get back to normal."_

_For the rest of the day – during their trip to visit Connor, dumping the contents of the bag and muddling through the everyday things that needed to be done when they got home – Katy wondered whether Ronnie was angry with her. She barely looked at her, barely spoke to the teenager. Jack, still angry, almost refused to acknowledge her existence._

_Things remained tense for days; neither of them bringing up the conversation that had made things awkward between them. Slowly life got back to normal and by the time Katy returned to school after the two weeks she'd missed she felt as though Ronnie had put the idea that perhaps she was her daughter out of her mind. After walking home with Lauren and letting herself into the flat after her first day back at school, Katy decided to make a start on the pile of homework and catching up she had after her unplanned absence. She had just started making a dent in her History essay on the Battle of Bosworth when her older sister banged through the front door and announced that Phil was in hospital after having a heart attack. After asking Katy to watch James for a while, the blonde seemed to hesitate. Then Ronnie smiled and shook her head, leaving quickly._

_Not long after that the subject of their connection entered her mind again as, after Ronnie's protective fussing over her began to get irritating, Katy sarcastically called her Mum. That, in turn, led to an awkward conversation with Lauren about Ronnie's theory about their relationship._

_"Maybe she is your mum." Lauren had responded casually, earning herself a glare from her best friend. "I mean, she acts more like your mum than your sister, right. Roxy always acts more like a sister. You look a lot like her and sometimes you do or say things exactly like she would."_

_"Oh don't start, Lauren." Katy had snapped back. "I'm not her daughter."_

_And with that the subject was closed for another couple of weeks._

_It wasn't until the day Katy and Lauren returned from their English trip to Stratford – the day Katy revealed her pregnancy fears to her best friend – that Ronnie admitted to her younger sister what she had done._

_"What's silly Auntie Katy done now, hey? And what's silly Auntie Katy going to do?" The teenager had muttered to James, rocking him gently in her arms. Her attention was so focused on her worries that she didn't notice Ronnie returning to the room._

_"Hmmm?"_

_"Oh, nothing. I was just talking to myself, nothing new there." Katy replied quickly, her smile not meeting her eyes._

_Ronnie took the baby from her and bit her lip nervously, not meeting the younger woman's gaze. "She's a funny one, isn't she?" Looking towards her bedroom she seemed to take a breath. "I'm going to settle James down and then there's something I need to tell you; something really important."_

_That's when Katy started to worry. She was on tenterhooks until her sister reappeared, perching on the edge of the sofa and chewing on her nails as she waited to hear what Ronnie was going to tell her. All sorts of ideas were running through her mind; various things that could be wrong with various people. Her unease only grew when Ronnie perched on the seat beside her, looking as nervous as she felt._

_"Katy… I should have said something before… I should have told you as soon as I found out." She said in a quiet voice, completely avoiding meeting Katy's eyes._

_"What? Ronnie, what?"_

_"I'm your Mum."_

_Katy sighed, shaking her head. "Don't, Ronnie. Just tell me whatever it is you should have told me before."_

_"That was it, Katy." Ronnie said slowly, finally meeting the teenager's eyes. "I've been thinking about it ever since we talked about it and… I got in contact with some people. I called in some favours and got some people to make some calls and… this birth certificate," she carefully smoothed the folded piece of paper that Katy had originally used to convince her family of her identity on her knee, "it's fake, Katy. This is a faked birth certificate."_

_Katy's hands clenched around the paper she had snatched away from her sister. Her grip was so tight that one of her nails pierced the flimsy sheet and made a hole in it, right beside where it stated that Karen Parker was her mother. Tears stung in her eyes as she realised that either Ronnie was messing with her head or her whole life had been a lie._

_"How can you be sure?"_

_Standing, Ronnie walked over to the cabinet on the other side of the room and opened a drawer. Pulling out an envelope, she returned to sit beside the teenager. Slowly, she pulled several sheets of paper out and laid them carefully on the coffee table in front of them._

_"These are mine, Rox, Amy and James' birth certificates. Look at them. They look different."_

_"I don't… that doesn't…"_

_"Look at them, Katy. Someone faked your birth certificate." Ronnie clenched her hands into fists. "I'm guessing it was my father… Karen and Archie aren't your parents."_

_"Even… E-Even if that's true… what makes you so sure that I'm your daughter?" Katy demanded, unable to look at the papers anymore. With a flick of her wrist, she sent her birth certificate tumbling to the ground._

_"How could you not be, sweetie?" Ronnie asked gently, chuckling lightly and reaching out to lay a tentative hand on the girl's cheek. "I knew it… the first moment I saw you. I knew, deep down, who you were."_

_"But I... how can you… I…" Standing abruptly, Katy walked away and leant heavily against the far wall of the room, looking at her hands so that she wouldn't have to meet Ronnie's eyes. "I can't deal with this…"_

_"Please, Katy… let me–"_

_The brunette shook her head fiercely. "No! How can you be OK with this? You are… were… I thought you were my sister? I thought the woman I looked after for years, sacrificed so much for, was my mother. I thought I was an orphan."_

_"But you're not." Ronnie told her gently. "You have me and Jack and Roxy and Phil and everyone."_

_"That's not… that's not the point. I don't…" She started to laugh mirthlessly. "Oh, I really don't need this now…"_

_Ronnie looked at her for a moment, seeing that there was something serious bothering her. "What's wrong?"_

_"I think I'm pregnant, OK?" Katy screamed back, before bursting into tears. "I think I'm pregnant and I really, really needed my big sister."_

_"You've got something better." The blonde said, moving to the eighteen-year-old's side and cradling her tenderly in less than a second. "You've got a mum."_

* * *

><p>That had been how two of the biggest bombshells to hit the Mitchell family had been revealed on the same day, within minutes of each other. The cynical part of Katy hadn't been convinced until she and Ronnie had taken a DNA test which had, beyond all doubt, proved that Ronnie's gut feeling had been correct.<p>

The transition in their relationship had been hard; especially as Katy's pregnancy fears were confirmed and the realisation that there would be another baby in the family before long hit them. When Ronnie's behaviour became more and more erratic and worrying, the teenager tried to help her newly-discovered mother as she had helped her adoptive mother. The similarities in Ronnie and Karen's behaviour scared Katy, but no one seemed to take her seriously; or want to believe that she might be correct.

Katy was the only one who didn't seem surprised when Ronnie revealed the truth about James' death and her baby's true identity. When everyone else struggled to cope with the revelation and shockwaves that reverberated through, not just the Mitchells and Brannings but the entire Square, Katy stuck by her mother and offered her as much support as she could.


	2. Chapter 2

_**7**__**th**__** July 2011**_

Walking into the courtroom, heavily pregnant, Katy had felt as though it was her who was about to be sentenced. She had taken her seat between Jack and Roxy, feeling as though they were the only three who cared in the slightest what happened to her mum. Even then, Katy was saddened by the knowledge that she was the only one who never doubted the woman in the dock.

That morning had been hard; ridiculously hard. Roxy had refused to answer her phone or speak to her sister at all. She had barely acknowledged Katy as they passed each other on the Square; the teenager in search of her mother and her aunt leaving the Vic with Michael. Katy's lip had curled at the sight of the blonde with the man who had been tormenting her mother for months.

But then, in the stiflingly hot courtroom, surrounded by Jack's family who didn't really even want to be there, Katy had been angry. She had been absolutely furious. Even Jack, her step-father who loved Ronnie so much, had believed that she could have tried to snatch Tommy again that morning. Katy hadn't believed it for a second. She knew Ronnie wouldn't do that; she wasn't that stupid. It had made the teenager's blood boil as she shifted in her seat. She had been separated from the only person she wanted at that moment by a thin sheet of plastic or glass or whatever the hell it was attached to the dock where Ronnie stood.

The black maternity dress she had chosen to wear for the occasion felt as though it was getting tighter and tighter, squeezing all the air from her lungs as she sat in numb silence, letting everything going on in the room wash over her. Her daydreaming had only been interrupted when Roxy jumped to her feet, disputing something that Kat had written in her victim's statement.

"_This is not fair, OK?_" The blonde shouted in distress.

The judge had just arched an eyebrow at her. "_If you continue to disrupt court proceedings, I'll have you taken into custody for contempt–_"

"_My sister wouldn't laugh at you, alright, she wouldn't laugh at you. Her baby died as well, she–_"

"_This is your last warning._"

"_She was miserable with what she did!_" Roxy exploded, completely ignoring the threats the judge aimed at her.

"_I'm finding you in contempt–_"

"_And you know that, Kat._" The furious blonde continued regardless. "_You know that._"

"Rox… please…" Katy said, looking at her with wide, pleading eyes and trying to tug her back into her seat.

"_Take her down._"

"No!" Katy begged, turning to the judge. "Please, don't make her go. She'll be quiet. Auntie Rox…"

The blonde had simply looked at her niece for a moment, before smiling quickly and grabbing her bag. "_Fine._" As she made her way along the row, she stopped to jab her finger threateningly into Kat's expressionless face. "_This ain't right and you know it._"

There had been silence as Roxy was escorted out, before the judge asked the prosecution barrister to continue reading the victim's statement. Everyone was uncomfortable as the woman continued. Katy brushed Jack's arm away from her shoulders, not wanting him to attempt to comfort her. She didn't want her step-father any more than she really wanted her aunt. She wanted Ronnie.

As the prosecution sat down and the defence barrister stood up, the doors had opened and Lauren had appeared. She met Katy's eye briefly, but the Mitchell glared at her before looking pointedly away. She had enough to worry about without bothering about why Lauren was late. The least she could have done was to turn up on time to support her supposed best friend, if not Ronnie herself.

"_Stop!_" Ronnie's voice cut through the teenager's thoughts and caused her head to snap up so sharply she thought she might have given herself whiplash. "_Stop, I don't want him to say any more._"

"_Sorry, Your Honour, if I could just speak to my client._"

"_No. I… I've changed my mind._"

"_My client is in a very vulnerable state._"

"_I don't want anything said._" Ronnie continued vehemently. She stared straight at the judge, ignoring all of the confused and scared faces aimed in her direction. "_I don't want any excuses made. There aren't any excuses for what I did._"

"Mum…"

Katy got no further with her plea, before she was silenced by a look from the judge. "_Very well, unless you have anything else for us, Mrs Bartlett?_"

"_No, Your Honour._" The prosecution barrister had said, smirking as she barely stood to give her answer.

"_Then I'll proceed to sentencing._" The judge announced. Katy closed her eyes, biting her lip so hard that she drew blood and clenching her hands into fists at her sides. "_This is a case involving a mother who has lost her child and, while her personal circumstances are tragic, to deprive another family of their new-born child in such a manipulative way and for a prolonged period of time means that realistically there is only one sentence which is appropriate… immediate custody._"

"No!" Katy couldn't help the shout that had escaped from her lips as she looked between Ronnie and the judge desperately. "Please, you can't! I need her… I need my mum."

"Silence." The judge ordered, although her tone was soft and pitying. "_Taking into account the mitigating factors, the reports… the personal circumstances,_" her eyes lingered on the tearstained face of the pregnant teenager for a moment or two, "_the least sentence that I can impose is three years._" Katy gasped, hot tears spilling down her cheeks as she processed to what the judge had said. "_Take her down._"

"_No!_" Kat got to her feet, looking panicked. "_Wait, wait… this ain't right. Look, Ronnie, those things I said to you, I was upset. I was really upset. I don't want her to go to prison._" She said, looking directly at the judge. "_I don't. I thought I did, but I don't._"

"_I'm afraid it's not up to you to decide, Mrs Moon._"

"_You can't take her, she's lost her baby! She's like me, she lost her baby! The only difference is I got mine back!_" They started to lead Ronnie out of the dock and away. Kat rounded the partition and moved to stand in front of the blonde. "_Ronnie… Ronnie! Ronnie I don't want this._" She placed one hand flat on the clear barrier between them. "_Ronnie you were right… me and you, we are the same. I forgive you. I forgive you._"

Ronnie exhaled sharply, a small smile twisting her lips. Raising her hand, she placed it flat against the barrier on her side, directly over where the darker woman's hand was. They smiled sadly at each other for a moment, before Ronnie's eyes moved over to the gallery, first landing on her husband's and then on her daughter's. She sent them both an equally sad smile, before turning and leaving the courtroom.

Jack reached out to Katy but she shrugged him off, standing up and pushing her way along the row and slamming out of the room. She didn't want to see anyone or speak to anyone.

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><p>Those years had gone past slowly. Things had changed drastically since Ronnie had been sentenced. Katy had given birth just shy of two months later and her daughter, named Ruby Margaret Veronica Mitchell, was perhaps the only thing that helped to anchor her. Without Ronnie to demand it of her, Katy had left school at the end of that term. She had only been going to keep her mother happy anyway and, with a baby and no real incentive to stay on, the teenager couldn't be bothered to stay for her last year. Instead she almost forced Phil to let her help manage the R&amp;R, something that she proved a natural at.<p>

Katy and Ruby had hopped around various homes over the past couple of years. They had stayed with Jack for a while, before moving in with Roxy. Then, when the blonde and her daughter had moved in with Alfie at the Vic, they had gone to live at Phil's until, after one disagreement too many about whether or not Phil got to have an opinion on how close Katy and Shirley were, they had gone to stay with Carol and the Butchers for a while. When it had got a bit cramped in their house, they had reluctantly accepted Jack's offer to move back into her old bedroom in his flat.

Her step-father was rarely around and, when he was, Jack and Katy behaved more like strangers who happened to be sharing a relatively small space than family. It was too painful for both of them to act as though nothing had happened. Gradually their relationship deteriorated even further; especially after Sharon and Dennis moved in.

And now, Katy found herself staring in the mirror in the family bathroom she shared with her daughter and, formerly, Sharon's son, which seemed barely any more personal than the bathroom in a hotel. Two toothbrushes stood in the glass fixed to the wall beside the mirror; one lime green and one pastel pink with Disney princesses on it. Three tubes of toothpaste stood in the glass affixed on the opposite side; one Colgate Max White, one strawberry flavoured Hello Kitty and a bubblegum flavoured Moshi Monsters tube. Katy thought, perhaps, she should give Dennis' toothpaste back to his mother. On the other hand, she thought that maybe she should just bin it.

Occasionally Jack and Katy, due to Sharon's insistence that it wasn't good for her precious Denny to be surrounded by clutter, would argue over the number of bottles that littered the floor of the shower cubical or the edge of the bath. It was one of the small, insignificant matters that often descended into a full blown argument that usually resulted in one or other of them threatening to leave, but neither actually making the move and doing so.

When Jack and Sharon split up and the woman and her son moved out of the flat, it had not been a moment too soon as far as Katy was concerned. It also helped to repair some of the damage that had been done to her relationship with her step-father. They started getting on better, even acting like father and daughter again on the odd occasion.

The sound of Ruby calling for her again brought her out of her daydream and she stared into the sink where she had absentmindedly squirted half her toothpaste. Sighing, she ran the tap and cleaned up the mess quickly, before heading into her bedroom and getting herself and her daughter ready for the day ahead.

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><p><em><strong>AN: Thank you to those of you who've reviewed etc so far! I'm glad you seem to be enjoying it already! :D**_

_**x**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: I've decided that this should be updated bi-weekly rather than weekly, otherwise you'll probably be reading about Christmas/New Year in April or something ;)**_

_**I hope that's OK with you guys? :P**_

_**x**_

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><p>"Roxy? What time does Mum get out later?" Katy asked, clamping her mobile between her ear and her shoulder as she navigated across the road to the nursery, weaving expertly between the crowds of people heading to work with Ruby's pushchair.<p>

"I… this afternoon. Four o'clock." The blonde replied hesitantly.

"Are we going together, then?"

There was a long pause. "Katy… I…"

The younger of the two stopped, her hand hovering over the bell to the nursery as she realised the cause of her aunt's discomfort. "He's kicked off about it, hasn't he?"

"Alfie doesn't want Ronnie around Tommy." Roxy admitted. "Katy… I can't…"

"Right, fine, whatever." The young woman smiled as the door to her daughter's nursery was opened by one of the assistants and she manoeuvred the pushchair inside clumsily. "I've got to go, anyway. Laters."

Hanging up, she did her best not to let her upset and frustration show with the young woman, about her age, who was helping Ruby out of her coat. Handing over the back pack that contained her snacks and a spare change of clothes, Katy said goodbye and left, heading back to Albert Square to open up the R&R.

She grinned at Joey who was leaning against the wall, waiting for her to unlock the doors and let him in to begin his shift. They had gone out for a couple of months, but their relationship had quickly fizzled out as neither could give up any control of their lives to the other. They were much better off as friends, they had both decided, which suited them fine. Katy wasn't good with complicated things.

"I hope you ain't gonna dock my wages seeing as you're twenty minutes late?" Joey joked as she unlocked the door and moved inside to type the code into the alarm.

Shooting him a look, Katy didn't respond. She went into the office and dropped her bag on the desk, dropping into the executive chair and resting her head back with a sigh. She could see Joey hovering in the doorway out of the corner of her eye, but made no indication that she had noticed his presence. After a couple of moments, he moved further into the room and leant against the desk.

"Your mum gets out today, don't she?"

"Yeah. About four o'clock."

"You gonna be there?"

"I don't know." Katy admitted quietly. "I want to be, but… I don't know."

"Why? Not 'cos of this place?" His boss shot him a look that clearly indicated that was a stupid question. "So what's the problem?"

"You've heard what she did, right?" She asked. "She swapped her dead baby with Tommy Moon. She let us believe that Tommy was James, my brother, for months. She let Kat and Alfie believe that their son was dead."

Joey looked a little confused. "So you're angry with her?"

Katy shook her head slowly. "No, I'm not. Her baby died. She wasn't herself when she did what she did. And… she's my mum. Whatever she did, she's still my mum."

"So…?"

"I'm not the only person living on the Square, am I?" The young woman asked meaningfully with a deep sigh that made her whole body shudder. "Jack and Kat and Alfie and even Roxy won't make things easy for her. Maybe it's best if she doesn't come back here at all."

"But she's your mum. You want her around, right?"

There was a pause. "Not if she'd be better off out of it."

"So what are you gonna do? You've got… just over five and a half hours to decide what you're gonna do." Joey said, perching on the desk and looking at her carefully. "If you want someone to go with you…"

"I think it would be better if I didn't take my ex along to pick my mum up from prison." She inhaled sharply and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Right, well, you've got work to do and so have I."

Taking the hint, he nodded. "OK. If you need me, I'll be sorting the boxes in the stock room."

Burying herself in the club's accounts, Katy didn't notice the time flying past. She went out for lunch, nodding at Joey and the other bar staff as she left and then returned and carried on with her work in the peace and quiet of the office. Her mobile remained silent and, with nothing to distract her, she managed to complete everything she had been planning. The problem was that when she saved the spreadsheet she'd been working on and closed it down, she realised that it was already half an hour past her mother's release time.

Grabbing her mobile and scrolling through her recent contacts until she reached Roxy's name, she unlocked the office door and made her way into the main part of the bar, looking for Joey.

"Why didn't you say something about the time?" She hissed at the barman as she waited for her call to connect. "Why didn't you realise I hadn't left?"

Joey held up his heads. "Hey, I knocked on the door but it was locked and there was no reply. What was I supposed to do? I thought you'd left without saying anything."

"Right, well, obviously I–" Katy stopped as Roxy's voice entered her ear. "Rox. Did you get mum?"

"No… I thought you would?"

"I was… I… So no one went to collect her? She's on her own?"

"Shit…"

Katy squeezed her eyes closed and chewed her lip, feeling as though her insides were made of lead. "I'm gonna get down the prison and see if they know where she went or… or whether I can find her." She paused, lowering her voice slightly. "Will you come with me?"

"I… Alfie's taking me out for dinner."

"That's more important than your sister?"

"Please, Katy, don't do this."

The young woman scowled at the wall in front of her. "Right, whatever. I'm gonna pick Ruby up on my way. I'll talk to you later. Maybe."

Hanging up without waiting for a response, Katy grabbed her bag and said a quick goodbye to the staff, leaving Joey in charge until Sharon turned up for the start of her shift at six. Making it to the nursery in record time, the young woman collected her daughter and jumped into a cab, ignoring the man's moaning as he struggled to collapse the pushchair and fit it in his boot. He complained even more when Katy told him where she wanted to go.

She sighed loudly, signalling that she wasn't interested in his opinion on her destination. Staring out of the window she watched as they travelled through the streets towards the prison where her mum had lived for the last few years. Now that they were getting closer, Katy's stomach began to churn and she started to feel ashamed. She should never have even considered not going to collect Ronnie. She should never have worried about how it would affect her.

Paying the driver, who grudgingly unloaded the pram, Katy reassembled it and strapped her daughter in carefully. She pushed it confidently towards the small door in the larger one in the wall of the prison and knocked firmly. She had been there countless times to visit Ronnie, less often than she'd like towards the end, but this time was so different that it was unnerving.

"Veronica Mitchell was being released today. Do you know if someone came to collect her or…"

"No idea, sweetheart." The burly prison guard replied with a shrug. "But she ain't here either way."

"I don't suppose you have any clue about where she is?" Katy asked with a sigh, anticipating the answer.

"Nope."

Turning on her heels and starting to walk away from the prison, Katy exhaled deeply again. She paused briefly when a deep voice called after her, telling her that there was a café she could try just round the corner. Without looking back, the young woman aimed the pushchair in the direction the guard had indicated and stalked off in search of her mother.

The café was busy, but there was no sign of the blonde she was looking for. Manoeuvring the pushchair between the tables, the young woman leant on the counter and asked whether the woman working behind it had seen anyone who matched Ronnie's description. The woman nodded and told her that, yes there had been a blonde woman in her thirties in the café.

"She was here with a brunette woman who looked about her age, maybe a bit older. They left about ten, fifteen minutes ago."

"Did you catch a name?" Katy asked, almost desperately.

"I dunno… I think the blonde called the other woman Nat or Kat or something." The waitress said with a shrug.

"Kat? Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure, yeah." The woman replied. "Can I get you anything?"

"No… no." Katy shook her head and began to make her way out of the café. "Thanks."


	4. Chapter 4

Katy didn't know what to do. She stood on the pavement outside the café and looked up and down the street, wondering just how long ago Kat and her mother had left. There was no sign of anyone around and she rubbed her forehead agitatedly.

Pulling out her mobile, she selected Roxy's number in her recent contacts and held it to her ear. It rang for a while, before the answerphone kicked in. With a frown, the young woman tried again. This time it went straight to the snooty, mechanical-sounding woman who told her that she could leave a message. Realising that Roxy must have hung up on her, Katy scowled at her mobile and threw it into her bag.

Holding out a hand, she attracted the attention of a cab and headed swiftly back to Albert Square. This cab driver was much more friendly than the previous one, but Katy found she didn't much care. As soon as she and Ruby were settled in the back, she rooted around in her bag and found her phone, clutching it tightly in her hands and glancing at it every two minutes.

They were about five minutes from home when it began ringing and Katy fumbled to answer it quickly, holding it tightly against her ear.

"Hello?"

"Katy? Sweetie is that you?"

"Mum." She breathed, a smile curling her lips. She leant her head back against the headrest. "Where are you?"

"I'm… I'm at Kat's."

"Why?"

"She came to see me at Prison. I… you and Roxy weren't there and I thought…"

"I had to pick Ruby up on my way." Katy half-lied, guilty about putting the blame on her daughter. "You'd gone when I got here. The guard didn't know where you'd gone or if anyone had come to get you. I went to that café and the woman said you'd been there with a brunette and not long left."

"Where are you now?"

"Just…" She looked out of the window and smiled. "Just coming into the Square now. We'll come straight over to Kat's if… if that's OK?"

"Of course it's OK, baby!" Ronnie told her firmly. "I can't wait to see you both."

Katy smiled to herself and unbuckled her seatbelt as soon as the driver stopped the cab. She climbed out, tipping him generously. The man smiled, only too happy to benefit from the young woman's good mood. Katy secured Ruby in her pushchair, smiling happily and telling her that they were going to see Grandma.

Holding her breath as she knocked on Kat's door, Katy picked Ruby up and bounced her nervously on her hip. After a couple of moments an anxious looking Kat opened the door and looked at her. She sighed and stepped backwards, indicating that the younger woman should go inside. Katy parked the pushchair at the foot of the stairs and waited for the older woman to show her where to go.

Kat pushed opened the living room door and tactfully went into the kitchen, leaving the Mitchells alone. There was a pause as they looked at each other. Then Ronnie stepped forward, tears running down her face and cupped her daughter's, stroking her thumb gently along Katy's cheek bone.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too, Mum." The brunette said quietly, closing her eyes. Ronnie leant forward and rested her forehead against Katy's. "I really, really missed you."

They took some time just talking quietly and allowing all three of them to get reacquainted. Ruby was fascinated with her grandmother and kept reaching out to touch her hair, which greatly amused both women. She was also very taken by the locket that Ronnie wore on a long chain around her neck.

"There's a photo of your mummy in here." Ronnie said gently, flicking the locket open and showing the little girl. "And there's one of you on the other side."

"What is the deal with the lockets?" Katy asked cautiously as Ruby examined it closely. "I mean… wasn't that what convinced you that Danielle was your daughter in the first place." When Ronnie looked at her blankly, she chewed the inside of her cheek and shrugged. "I mean, that's what Roxy told me."

Katy had never asked her mother about the jewellery before. She hadn't really found the right moment between discovering who her parents were and Ronnie being sent to prison with everything else that was going on. Then, while her mother was inside, it hadn't really crossed her mind. Now, seeing Ronnie showing it to her daughter so proudly, Katy was curious again.

"I assume that when I gave the second locket to you when you were a baby, the one with a photo of me inside it so that you'd know what I looked like and that I loved you, my dad did a deal or threatened someone so that they gave it to another baby. That's how I guessed Danielle ended up with it. I don't know for sure, but it's the only explanation I have."

The younger woman nodded slowly and wondered, not for the first time, just how evil Archie had been and how he got like that. He had taken his daughter's baby away and allowed her to think that she was his child and that she wanted nothing to do with her. He had allowed a mentally unstable woman, who wasn't even capable of taking care of herself, to raise his own granddaughter, with absolutely no help or support from him. He had told Ronnie she was dead. He had allowed Danielle to believe that Ronnie was her mother. When Danielle was dead, he had allowed Ronnie to believe that she was as well.

He was pure evil.

"So… what's your plan?" Katy asked, shaking her head slightly to remove all thoughts of Archie from it. "Are you going to stay around here?"

"No… I can't. We'll go somewhere new; start a fresh. We can go anywhere."

"We? Mum… I can't just leave. I have a life here; friends, a job…"

Ronnie leant forward and squeezed her hands. "I can't stay, sweetie. Please… I know Roxy won't come. Kat told me about her and Alfie…"

"Mum… please just… stay on the Square. It'll be OK. You've got family here… and friends. Roxy loves you, she does. And Amy… she's been asking about you. She started school last week… she's dying to show you her new uniform." Katy sighed. "We'll make it work."

Ronnie wasn't convinced, but Katy persuaded her to give it a couple of weeks and, if she still wanted to leave, they could discuss it properly. Some people were still actively avoiding Ronnie in the street or sending her suspicious looks. Most, though, seemed to have put the past behind them and were acting completely normally towards the blonde.

She moved into number 55 and, glad to be getting out of the strange atmosphere at Jack's that her mum's return had caused, Katy and Ruby soon moved into Phil's house, too. Keen to prove that Ronnie was no more dangerous than anyone else on the Square, Katy made a point of leaving her mother in charge of Ruby whenever she was out. It seemed to help people forget the past when they saw Ronnie pushing her granddaughter's pushchair around or bouncing her on her hip in the Minute Mart or talking to her at a table in the café.

The only part of their lives that was still strained was where Roxy fitted in. After Alfie had forced his girlfriend to choose between him and her sister, Ronnie and Roxy had continued to see each other in secret. Katy commented dryly that it was like they were having an affair. She felt sorry for her aunt, though, knowing how hard she was finding the whole situation.

One Monday morning when Katy was getting ready for work, she went into her mother's bedroom to borrow a top Ronnie had bought the day before. She frowned at the sight of the bed, which had clearly not been slept in. Deciding to confront Ronnie about it when she saw her at the club later, Katy continued getting ready for her day, dropping Ruby off at the childminder's before heading over to open up the R&R.

She was working on some fliers for a new promotion when the office door opened and the blonde walked in, sending her a smile before dropping onto the sofa and flinging one arm across her eyes.

"Where the hell were you last night?" Katy demanded, slightly amused, leaning forwards and resting her elbows on the desk.

"Jack's."

The brunette's eyebrows shot up. "So are you and him…?"

"I don't know." Ronnie admitted. "I hope so."

"I'm glad."

"You are? Really?"

Katy grinned, leaning back in her chair. "Of course. He makes you happy. I love him and Ruby adores him. It's win-win, really."

Ronnie laughed. Then she stood up and moved towards the desk. "Alright, shift, I need to do some work."

Sighing, her daughter rose from the chair and flopped down on the recently vacated sofa. It had, when Phil first put Ronnie in charge of his businesses while he was recovering in hospital, been a kick in the teeth to the young woman who couldn't understand why she wasn't the obvious first choice to hold the fort at the club. But then it occurred to her that letting Ronnie feel as though she was a vital part in the Mitchell Empire would help her settle back into her normal life.

A short time passed and then Ronnie let out an exasperated sigh. "I've got to run back to the house and grab one of the files I left there." She explained, heading for the door. "Think you can cope without me?"

Katy rolled her eyes and looked up from the magazine she was flicking through. "Duh."

"Don't work too hard; you'll tire yourself out."

"There's a delivery coming in any minute. I'll have to sort that, actually." The brunette replied, poking her tongue out. "Don't skive for too long."


	5. Chapter 5

Katy returned to her magazine once her mother had left. She only got through a couple more pages before Joey appeared to tell her the delivery had arrived and she hauled herself up to go and supervise the unloading. To her immense irritation there were huge differences between what had been ordered and what was being delivered. After an intense argument with the driver, who refused to accept that he had brought the wrong stock, she headed down to the office to collect the invoice to prove that she was right.

Grabbing her mobile off the desk, she pushed it into her pocket before returning outside with the list in her hand, shoving it under his nose. As he perused it, still not convinced that he or his company was in the wrong, Katy felt her phone vibrating and answered it quickly.

"Yeah, Mum, what's up?"

"Can you come home?"

"Not really… I've got a fucking joker here who's trying to unload the wrong stuff on me and making out it's my fault." She snapped, glaring at the man who scowled back at her. "I swear to god I'm gonna get his ass fired if he doesn't stop being such a dick."

"But I really–"

"I'm kinda busy."

Ronnie sighed. "I had to pick up Lexi from the childminder. Lola and Billy weren't answering and–"

"You'll be fine." Katy assured her more gently. "Look, as soon as I'm done here I'll come over, if it makes you feel better."

"Please do."

"You've looked after Rubes plenty of times. You're fine, Mum."

"It's different!" Ronnie told her, sounding worried. "Ruby's my granddaughter and you trust me. Lola's made it very clear she doesn't."

Katy shook her head, pointedly ignoring the man who was trying to catch her attention. "Lola's an idiot. I will make sure she knows she's an idiot if she does anything but thank you for looking after her daughter."

"Just… please come home as soon as you can." Her mother begged. "I don't want Lola to find me here alone with Lexi. I don't think I can… I can't…"

"I'll be there as soon as I've sorted this." Katy assured her, sending the man another glare. "But you are more than capable. I trust you and I have faith in you, OK?"

With another sigh, Ronnie hung up the phone and the brunette turned back to the delivery driver. It took a long time before they came to an agreement about what to do about the mix up. In the end, they crossed off the items that he had brought correctly and arranged for the rest to be delivered the next day. The man was still adamant that the fault was with Katy, even after seeing the evidence in black and white that it was completely his problem.

Making up her mind to find new, more reliable suppliers as soon as she could, Katy told Joey she was popping home for a bit and headed back towards number 55. She let herself in through the back door and walked into the living room in time to see Lola unclipping the straps and lifting Lexi out of her pram.

"_I didn't do anything to her._" Ronnie was saying shakily, standing away from the pram and looking to Billy. "_That woman Megan she just dropped her off… I... I didn't know what to do…_" She jumped as Katy moved to stand next to her, squeezing her arm and smiling reassuringly. "_I mean, she's alright though, isn't she? She's alright._"

"_We knew she would be, didn't we?_" Billy told her soothingly, looking at Lola who didn't seem the slightest bit sure.

"_Yeah._" The young mum agreed unconvincingly. "_Yeah, course we did. I mean, you're family, ain't ya?_"

Ronnie nodded and then turned to Katy, who smiled. "I'll meet you back at the club, Mum, yeah? I need to grab my phone charger." Once the blonde had gone, Katy turned to glare at her cousins. "She would never, ever hurt Lexi. You know that, right?"

"Course we do!" Billy replied instantly.

"She was terrified about being here on her own with her." The brunette told them. "She phoned me in a panic, worried about what you'd think or say. Mum begged me to come home and take over."

"I didn't…"

"You didn't think that she'd be scared?"

"No, I just…"

"She's not crazy or dangerous or anything like that." Katy sighed, her voice softening. "She lost her baby. Her baby died and… I can't imagine how I'd even start dealing with losing Ruby. How would you cope if it was Lexi? It was bad enough for you when she was living here… what if she was gone completely?"

Lola sniffed, cradling her daughter tighter. "You're right. Ronnie's family and we need to make sure she knows that we believe in her, yeah?"

Katy smiled. "Yeah."

x-x

Deciding that she needed a drink, Katy stopped in at the Vic on her way back to the club. Michael was on his way out as she walked through the doors and stopped, deliberately blocking her path to look her up and down, his familiar sneer firmly in place. She stopped, folding her arms and glaring at him.

"Alright, quick and easy?"

"Alright, wanker?" She replied, not taking any notice of the insult. It was one of many that he threw her way on a regular basis and she gave as good as she got.

He smirked. "Jack and Ronnie back together, eh?"

"Yeah? And what?" She raised an eyebrow. "Was that supposed to surprise me?"

"So you know?"

"Of course I know. She's my mum."

Michael laughed to himself. "Roxy's her sister, but she still had to hear the good news from me."

Katy scowled. "Asshole."

With a mock bow, he pushed past her and left the pub. Katy shook her head and made her way up to the bar, desire for a drink forgotten, to speak to her aunt. Roxy looked slightly shell-shocked and more than a little upset.

"You alright?"

"I've just been told by Michael… Michael sodding Moon… that my sister is back with her ex-husband." Roxy muttered irritably. "And Alfie is acting all… weird and angry."

"Yeah… Mum would have wanted to tell you herself, but things have been a bit… crazy… today."

Roxy nodded and then exhaled sharply. "You alright?"

"Course. When am I not?" The brunette chuckled. Then she rocked backwards, pushing off from the surface of the bar. "I'd better get back to work. I'll see you later, OK?"

When she walked into the office, however, she turned and walked straight back out again. Jack and Ronnie were curled up on the sofa with a romantic picnic in front of them and the young woman didn't want to intrude. She wasn't even sure whether they were aware of her brief presence. Smiling to herself, she decided to go and grab a sandwich from the café.

x-x

The relative calm surrounding the family was short-lived. When Katy returned to the club and found Jack had left, she and Ronnie lapsed into silence, each getting on with their own tasks. When one of the bar staff poked her head around the office door to report a problem with one of the optics, Katy volunteered to sort it.

She returned, a short while later and found Carl standing beside the desk, her mother sitting defiantly in her chair with her arms folded.

"_Yeah, but maybe who I know makes me untouchable._" Ronnie was saying in a tone that clearly indicated that she was slightly amused by the man. "_Look, I'm not scared of you. There is nothing that you can do that makes me scared of you._"

There was a pause and then Carl slammed his hand down on the wooden surface beside the blonde, clearly attempting to startle her. Ronnie barely even flinched.

"_D'you wanna hit me?"_ Climbing to her feet and fixing him with a furious scowl, she stepped into his personal space threateningly. "_D'you wanna hit me? Go on then. Hit me._" She lowered her voice and stared him out. "_I told you, my answer is no._"

Carl raised his finger and pointed at her. "_You flinched._"

Katy moved forward, putting herself between the man and her mother. "I think you need to get out."

He smirked. "Aww, sweet? You trying to protect mummy?"

With a cold laugh, the younger woman stepped towards him. "Actually, no. She doesn't need protecting. I just don't want either of us to do something we might not actually regret, but that we probably shouldn't do."

"You heard her." Ronnie agreed, placing her hand on Katy's shoulder. "Get out."

When he had left, Katy turned quickly and shot her mother a look. "You OK?"

"Course." The blonde said confidently. "It'll take more than the likes of him to rattle me."


	6. Chapter 6

A couple of days later, Ronnie and Katy went to the club to find that the door frame smashed in and the door itself swinging on its hinges. They immediately knew that Carl must be behind it, but he seemed determined to make his presence felt in the club and around the Square. Neither woman allowed themselves to be intimidated, but he refused to give up, using Ruby as leverage to make them feel threatened.

Katy was furious, but Ronnie calmed her down and reminded her that there was no way Carl was going to get to the little girl. They continued to stand up to the man but, although neither said it out loud, both women were secretly relieved when Phil returned to the Square and made it very clear that he wanted Carl to stay out of his business and away from his family.

As Ronnie got more and more comfortable with her life outside prison, Katy was beginning to struggle. Having her mother back was the best thing she could have hoped for, but it was also becoming a strain. She was used to looking after herself and doing what she wanted; only getting help when, on the rare occasion, she asked for it. Having someone constantly there was driving her crazy.

"I thought we could go up West." Ronnie suggested as soon as Katy walked through the door after taking Ruby to nursery a week after Phil was discharged from hospital. "Do some shopping, have lunch… just spend some time together."

"Oh… I've got plans." Her daughter replied glancing up from her mobile and looking a little sheepish. "Sorry… maybe another day."

"Plans? With who?"

Katy frowned. "Just some mates. Lauren and Whit, if you must know. I barely ever get to see them what with all of us busy all the time."

"Oh… OK." Ronnie agreed with a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Maybe another time." She picked up her mug and clutched it tightly. "What time will you be back?"

"Why?" The young woman sighed, looking irritated by all the questions.

"I just want to know what time to get dinner ready for, that's all. But I'm your mum, anyway, so I don't think it's unreasonable of me to ask about what you're doing."

Something inside Katy snapped. She dropped her mobile onto the table with a clatter and scowled at Ronnie. She braced herself on the table so that she could lean across it and glare at the blonde. "No. No, you do not get to use the 'I'm your mother' card on me. Fuck! You've been my mother for about four months in my entire life. Four months after I discovered that I had a mum who actually loved me you fucking left me again."

"That wasn't… I didn't…"

"No, stop. I _know_ you didn't want to leave me either time. But you did. You weren't there when I needed you." Katy shook her head and stood up straight. "I can't imagine what you went through when James died. But it wasn't just you who suffered. Jack and Roxy and me and Amy and Kat and Alfie and everyone else who's remotely connected to this family suffered too. We all lost James and we all lost you. And you can't change that and I'm not even blaming you for that. Like I said, I can't imagine what it was like and I can't say that I wouldn't have done the same; no one can. But you can't just expect me to pretend nothing's happened."

"I don't expect that." Ronnie told her quickly, her eyes pleading with the younger woman to listen. "But you have to give me a chance to make it up to you."

"I _am_ giving you a chance." Katy said in a hard tone. "I'm fucking here, aren't I?"

"Physically, yes."

"Ronnie… I love you, but I can't just forget the last two years, let alone the eighteen before that. There's stuff I need to work through. There's so much that you don't know; so many things I couldn't tell you while you were in prison for various reasons."

"Like what?"

"Tyler, for one… I honestly thought that me and him would work out. He never judged me, he never held my past against me. He knew about Ruby's dad and everything and he didn't care. But… he was Alfie's cousin and Michael's brother and every time he looked at Tommy he was reminded about what you did." Katy admitted bitterly. "It tore us apart and eventually we couldn't even be in the same room as each other anymore. Then I did what I always do and destroyed it beyond repair."

A tear rolled down Ronnie's cheek. "I'm sorry."

Katy shrugged. "It's not your fault, not really. It didn't have to get in the way; look at Rox and Alfie. They've managed to get past it."

"What else couldn't you tell me?"

Glancing at the time, Katy chewed her lip nervously, wishing she hadn't started this conversation. "I've got to go. I'm supposed to–"

"No." Ronnie rounded the table and grasped her daughter's upper arms tightly. "No, you're going to stay and talk to me. OK, so I've got to earn your trust again, but you at least have to let me."

"Heather… I was there."

The blonde's grip loosened and a sharp breath escaped and caused Katy's fringe to flutter slightly. "You were… you were there?"

"I… Ben was kicking off about something or other and Jay and I tried to calm him down. He… he wouldn't listen. Heather tried to stop him going in George's room and he… he just hit her. He picked up the photo frame and hit her in the head. There was so much blood… it was everywhere." She swallowed thickly. "I tried to save her, Mum. I did. But there was nothing I could do. Phil found me and Jay in The Arches. He burnt our jackets and sorted things. We had to go back and eat Chinese with everyone to celebrate Phil getting out of the nick…"

"Sweetheart…"

"I didn't know what to do or who to talk to. I couldn't tell Shirl… she was convinced that I had nothing to do with it. She was like a mum to me while you were… well, I couldn't bear to see her face if she found out…" She shook her head. "She still doesn't know I was there when Heather died. The only people who knew were Ben, Jay, Phil and Rox."

"Roxy knew?" Ronnie asked, sounding hurt.

"She was great. She looked after me and Ruby when I couldn't cope."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Katy looked at her in disbelief. "Really? You have to ask why I didn't walk into prison and tell you that I'd witnessed a murder? Admit that I'd covered up for Ben; that I'd lied to the police for him while surrounded by prison guards? I'd have been locked up for sure." She snorted. "And I was not going to let that happen. I went to extreme lengths to make sure that didn't happen."

"What are you talking about?" Her mother asked, dreading the answer.

"I had to make sure that fingers were firmly pointed away from me. I wasn't going to let Ruby grow up without me."

"What did you do?"

"If anyone was going down for it, it was going to be Ben." Katy said bluntly. "I just made sure they wouldn't be looking for anyone else."

"Ben's family!" Ronnie hissed at her. "He's your cousin! We don't sell our family to the police."

"Like him and Phil wouldn't have put the blame on me and Jay if they had the chance. Family's all well and good, but in the end you've got to look after yourself."

Ronnie sighed deeply, turning away for a moment, before looking back at her daughter determinedly. "I'm always going to be here for you. From now on, whenever you need me, I'll be here."

"That's just it." The brunette smiled sadly. "As much as I want you around, Mum, I don't need you. I don't need anyone."

"Everyone needs someone." Ronnie told her, trying hard not to let the devastation Katy had caused with her words show.

"No… they don't. I'm stronger on my own. I love you, Mum. I want you around. But I don't need you. We survived when you weren't here and we could do it again. I wouldn't want to, but I could. I dealt with things my way."

"Things? What things?"

"Just… things. Things that aren't important now. Things that you don't need to know about."

"Katy… what have you–?"

Grabbing her bag, the brunette headed for the door. "I'll be back about six, OK? Have a good day."

x-x

On Carol's birthday, Katy and Ruby went to the Butchers with Jack for her party. Phil had tried telling her and Jay that they should be snubbing the Brannings because of Max's apparent involvement in his hospitalisation. Katy didn't buy it at all; Max was capable of a lot of things, but she doubted he'd resort to cutting someone's brakes.

The young woman was mortified when Phil burst into the party and attempted to drag her and Jay out of there. Ronnie tried reasoning with him, but to no avail. Shaking her head, Katy retrieved her daughter from Abi and she and Jay left, not wanting to spoil things for everyone else.

There had been arguments for a while, especially when Ronnie and Katy moved in with Jack. Phil was furious and forced his step-sister to choose between him and Jack. Katy had been incredibly proud of her mother when she had refused to step down and had chosen her boyfriend. She, as much as Ronnie, was heartbroken when the couple broke up and Jack left Walford for good.

The tensions had gradually calmed down until they were completely forgotten. It was a relief to the younger Mitchells, especially, when Max was released and things began to get back to normal between the two families.

Katy couldn't say that she was sorry that Michael was dead. Neither, though, did she believe that Alice had killed him. The girl was too innocent, too timid to do something like that. She didn't have the guts, as far as the Mitchell could see, to go through with murdering someone. If she had done, well, Katy was slightly impressed. She'd been able to do something Katy never had.


	7. Chapter 7

As Roxy and Alfie's wedding approached, Katy was reluctantly dragged into the planning. She knew Ronnie was suspicious about Alfie and Kat's relationship and Katy was well aware that Ronnie had warned him not to hurt her sister. Ronnie tried to be supportive, but she and Roxy argued often, which drove Katy crazy and sometimes she wanted nothing more than to get away.

"Hey." Katy smiled at Max weakly as he opened the door one evening when the young woman had taken all she could of talk about floral arrangements and fabric swatches. "Is Lauren in?"

He shook his head "Sorry, she's gone out."

"Right... Thanks."

As Katy turned to walk back down the steps, Max reached out and caught her arm. "Are you OK?"

"Not really." The young woman admitted with a mirthless laugh. Then she shook her head. "I'll be fine."

Sighing, Max opened the door wider and smiled. "Come in. I'm sure Lauren won't be long."

Katy only hesitated for a second, before walking past him into the house. Max shut the door and led the way into the living room. He switched the TV off as Katy sat on the sofa, standing in the centre of the room, almost awkwardly.

"D'you want a drink or something?"

She shook her head. "No thanks."

"D'you want to talk about whatever it is that's bothering you?"

"Mum and Roxy." Katy sighed. "They're doing my head in. And sometimes being a single parent is lonely, you know?"

Max snorted. "I know." He agreed.

"Yeah, but Lauren and Abi are practically adults and Oscar's with Tanya." She winced as she realised how horrible that last part had sounded. "Sorry..."

"Don't be; you're right."

"It was a bitchy thing to point out though."

He laughed, slumping down to sit on the sofa beside her. "Most people wouldn't care."

"Yeah, well, I know what it's like to have people judging you for stuff they know nothing about."

There was a silence and then Max let out a long breath. "Kirsty slept with Carl while I was banged up. She told me today."

"Sorry."

"Yeah. I ended it. I told her I wanted to concentrate on being a better father."

"That's good." Katy nodded slowly. "See, you are a good dad, putting your kids first."

He chuckled. "You and I both know that's not true."

Another pause followed. Katy's eyes flicked over to the man sitting beside her several times. Then, acting completely instinctively, she leant over and kissed him, placing a hand on his cheek.

It took Max a second to react to what was happening. He straightened in his seat, pushing her away and staring at her with wide eyes. Katy's eyes widened too, more in embarrassment at being rejected than anything else.

"Katy... What are you doing?"

"I... I'm sorry, I..."

When Max didn't say anything or move away, Katy leaned in again. She placed both hands on his face this time, shifting slightly so that she was leaning over him. Max kissed her back, slowly raising a hand to her waist.

As though coming to his senses, he pulled back, shaking his head. "You're my daughter's best friend. You're my brother's step-daughter."

"So what? Those things don't define me. I'm not just Lauren's best friend or Jack's step-daughter. I'm a person too, Max." She reminded him with a frown.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because I want to."

He shook his head. "Everyone will kick off."

"Who says they have to know?" The woman reasoned. "We both want to concentrate on being good parents, right? Neither of us want to hurt anybody or get hurt? This can just be a bit of fun; there's no reason it has to be anything more. I don't want it to be anything more."

Max hesitated, unsure what to do. Impatient, irritated by his indecisiveness, Katy decided to take charge. She moved so that she was straddling his lap, her knees on either side of his legs. Leaning forward, she pressed her lips firmly against Max's, her hands sliding round the back of his neck to pull him closer.

Giving in, Max allowed his hands to settle on the young woman's hips. As the kiss deepened, his hands moved down to her bum, pulling her closer against him. When Katy moaned into his mouth, the man broke the kiss and leant his head against the back of the sofa.

"Lauren and Abi might be back at any minute."

"So stop talking." Katy ordered, kissing him firmly.

He chuckled, kissing her back for a moment, before gently disentangling them. "Not now. Tomorrow. Lauren's got college and Abi'll be at school. Meet me here at one."

Nodding, Katy gave him one final kiss, before rolling off his lap just as the front door opened. They looked at each other and smirked. When Lauren opened the living room door, she was slightly taken aback at the sight of the pair sitting on the sofa watching the television.

"K?"

"Alright, babe?"

"Why are you hanging out with my dad?"

"I was waiting for you, duh."

Lauren nodded. "Oh, right." She looked at Max and raised an eyebrow. "You can go now."

Katy caught his eye as he stood up and walked to the door. She smirked, a look that was returned before Max left and Lauren took his space on the sofa. She let out a loud, angry-sounding huff and draped her legs over Katy's lap.

"So, what's new with you?" The younger girl asked.

"Not much." Katy said, her lips twitching slightly as she tried not to smile.

x-x

When her mother and aunt fell out, yet again at Roxy's hen night, the young woman was exasperated. She knew that Ronnie wouldn't miss out on Roxy's big day, whatever she said, confident that by the time she, Phil, Amy, Ruby and the bride arrived at the Church her mother would already be there waiting.

Sure enough, as Katy walked down the aisle with the two flower girls, she saw Ronnie smiling from one of the pews near the back and relaxed. She watched as the sisters exchanged a smile, before taking her place with Ruby and Amy in the front pew and smiling as Phil walked Roxy to the altar.

For some reason, perhaps it was the shifty expression on Alfie's face, Katy felt as though there was something wrong. She glanced over her shoulder and met Ronnie's eyes, unsurprised to see the blonde looking equally uneasy. They had just got to the most nerve-wracking part of the service, the part where everyone hoped no one would make an objection. Katy hoped that her mum wasn't going to say anything. And Ronnie didn't, much to her daughter's relief.

"_Will you, Alfred William Moon, take Roxanne Lizette Mitchell to be your wife?_" The vicar asked. "_Will you love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse and, forsaking all others, keep yourself unto her as long as you both shall live?_"

There was a long pause and Katy felt herself going cold. She looked at Ronnie again, seeing that her eyes had narrowed dangerously. Just before the young woman looked back towards the couple at the front, the church doors opened and Kat and Tommy walked in. Katy's grip on Amy's hand tightened as she stared at the woman, before whipping her gaze back to her aunt and Alfie.

"_Alfred?_" The vicar prompted when he didn't speak. "_Shall I repeat the question?_"

"_No…_" Alfie shook his head and Roxy looked as though she was about to cry. "_I do._"

Katy breathed a sigh of relief. But then, in true Mitchell style, it all went wrong. As Alfie went running out of the church, Katy went to her aunt. She tried to speak to her, but realised it was pointless and left Amy and Ruby with the blonde while she followed Phil outside.

Alfie was standing with Ian and Ronnie when they caught up with them. Raised voices could be heard inside the church porch and, beside her, Katy could feel Phil shaking with suppressed anger.

"_What did I tell you?_" He demanded furiously as they joined the trio. "_Eh? What'd I tell you about marrying a Mitchell? Now get back in there now._" He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder threateningly. "_Get them stupid ideas out of your head. Get back in there and do the right thing._"

"_No, no, I can't do that, Phil._" Alfie told him.

"_I ain't gonna tell you again, Alfie._"

"_Phil, I don't think–_" Ronnie started, but her step-brother cut her off so violently that she flinched.

"_Shut your mouth._" He pointed at Ian. "_And you don't think about getting involved._" Phil grabbed Alfie by the front of his jacket and propelled him towards the church. "_Now you get in there._"

They followed as Phil violently frogmarched Alfie back inside and threw him to the ground at the bottom of the aisle in front of everyone.

"_Phil!_" Roxy shouted, tearfully. "_Phil, leave him alone!_"

There was a long silence as Alfie pulled himself to his feet. He looked at Roxy for a moment, before shuffling towards the doors, pausing to ask Ronnie where Kat had gone.

"_Southend._" She spat out.

As Alfie grabbed Ian's arm and pulled him out with him, Katy blocked his path, her eyes flashing furiously. "You wanna watch yourself. No one hurts my family and gets away with it."

He looked at her sadly for a moment, before sending her a small nod and rushing away. Katy clenched her fists as she glared after him. Then she turned and went to see what she could do to comfort her aunt.


	8. Chapter 8

The bad blood between the Mitchells and the Moons was explosive. Katy took great delight in making loud comments and stirring up trouble for Kat and Alfie as often and as much as she could. Her anger was nothing compared to Roxy's though, but the young brunette thought her aunt was justified in her behaviour after what they had done to her.

While Ronnie tried to calm Roxy down as she went on a rampage with a hammer, Katy leant against the Vic wall and laughed. She caught Kat's eye, sitting on a stool at her stall, and winked. Bianca frowned at her, taking her friend's side, but Katy found she didn't care in the slightest and offered to steady Roxy's stepladder for her.

"_I know you want to get even,_" Ronnie tried to explain soothingly, shooting her daughter an irritated look, "_but this is not a good idea!_"

"_I don't wanna get even,_" Roxy shouted back, "_I want to get out!_"

"_Good for you._" Shirley praised as she and Tina came to stand in front of them.

"_Oi, oi!_" Ronnie started to laugh as Roxy began hammering on the sign over the Vic doors bearing hers and Alfie's names. "_Don't you think you should have brought a screwdriver, you idiot?_" She reached up and took hold of the tool in her sister's hand. "_Turn it round; do it like that._"

She and Katy shared a look, grinning at each other and laughing as the younger blonde returned her attention to the sign. Once it was done, the three women turned and found Alfie watching them. Katy and Ronnie stood side-by-side as Roxy advanced on him, breathing heavily in her anger.

She hurled the sign at his feet violently. "_I can do a hell of a lot better than this._"

"_Roxy… Roxy!_" When the fierier of the sisters turned, Ronnie smiled softly. "_Come here._"

Katy smiled as Roxy threw herself into the older blonde's arms, clinging on desperately. She caught Shirley's eye and the woman winked and her and nodded. Katy grinned back, before her gaze fell on Alfie once more and the expression dropped instantly.

She took a couple of steps forward, her features contorting into an almost feral snarl as she regarded the man in front of her who had caused her aunt so much pain. "Like I said, you better watch your back because I swear to god I will–"

"Katy!"

She scowled but turned back to her mother at once. Ronnie shook her head and held out a hand. Reluctantly the brunette turned and walked back to where they were waiting for her. Roxy wrapped an arm around her shoulders tightly. She met her niece's eye and snorted with laughter. A couple of second later the three women were all giggling uncontrollably, making their way through the gardens and into number 55.

x-x

"How's Roxy?" Max asked, lying in bed and watching Katy wriggle into her jeans.

She sighed and flicked her hair out of her collar, reaching down to pick up her right boot. "Not great. But then what would you expect?"

Rolling over and catching her round the waist, pulling the young woman down on top of him, Max chuckled. "What are you doing for your birthday?"

Katy laughed and kissed him quickly before freeing herself from his arms and pulling on her other boot. She shrugged. "No idea. I haven't really thought about it. There's been much too much going on round here to plan anything."

"But it's your twenty-first. You have to do something."

She shrugged again. "I'll just get shit-faced and trash the Vic."

Max chuckled. "As satisfying as that sounds, won't your mum be planning something?"

"Why, want an invite?"

"Maybe."

Thumping him lightly on the chest, she kissed him again and walked towards the door. "I'll let you know."

Leaving through the back, Katy cut across and made her way to the club. She found Ronnie sitting behind the desk when she entered and, although her mother gave her a curious look, she didn't make any comment on Katy's arrival. Dropping her bag and jacket onto the sofa, the young woman headed into the bar and began setting up for that evening.

"You missed out on the drama earlier." Ronnie announced, making her daughter jump.

"Why? What happened?"

"Alfie tried to convince Phil to change his mind about selling the Vic and Phil said that if he begged for Roxy's forgiveness he'd consider it. Alfie chucked the Vic bust through the window."

"Shit…" The brunette leant on the bar and let out a low whistle. "I bet that went down well."

"Phil had his car crushed."

"Shit." Katy repeated.

There was a short silence as they both mulled the situation over. Then Ronnie smiled. "So… it's your birthday tomorrow."

"I know." Katy agreed, reaching beneath the bar to replace a glass on the tray.

"Got any plans?"

The younger woman shook her head. "Not really. Surprisingly enough I don't really feel like celebrating."

"Rox wouldn't want you to–"

"No, I know. But I just… I don't know. I don't feel like it." Katy admitted with a small upward jerk of her shoulders. "I'd be happy to just stay in with you, Rox, Rubes and Amy and watch a film or something."

"On your 21st?" Ronnie looked surprised. "I remember your 18th."

Katy laughed softly. "That was a lifetime ago."

"True…" Her mother agreed. "Don't you at least want to hang out in the VIP room with your mates?"

"What mates? I spend more time here than anywhere else and the only people I see more than about twice a week are you lot."

Ronnie bit her lip. "I'm sorry…"

Glancing up quickly, the brunette shook her head vehemently. "Oh, no. I wasn't blaming you. I just… I don't know. Is it weird that I'm not really bothered?"

"You're a mum… it's right that Ruby is the most important person in your life." Ronnie assured her softly, sending her a warm smile. Then she grinned. "And you're a Mitchell. It's all about family, right?"

Katy laughed. "I guess so."

"If you really want to spend your birthday at home with us, I'll get Sharon to cover my shift tomorrow night."

"I do." The younger woman said decisively. "That's what I want."

x-x

Katy got her wish and she, her mum, her daughter, her aunt and her cousin spent the afternoon and the evening curled up on the sofa with pizza and wine and juice and a selection of child-friendly films. When Amy and Ruby had been put to bed, Roxy convinced them to put on Titanic and the two blondes spent the entire film in floods of tears. Katy, never one for crying during films, laughed at their soppiness, before draping herself across their bodies and peppering kisses on their faces until they started laughing as well.

Their good moods lasted until Tuesday, when Roxy received papers in the post to annul her marriage. Katy left the comforting to Ronnie, opting to work instead. It wasn't that she didn't want to be there for her aunt, she just decided that this was probably a sister bonding moment and she wasn't really wanted.

While Roxy started seeing Carl, something that everyone tried to warn her against, Katy spent more time with Shirley and Tina. She found the younger Carter sister hilarious and, much to Ronnie's jealousy, her relationship with Shirley was just as strong as it had ever been. Ronnie was extremely irritated when her daughter came home a few days before Christmas hungover after being out all night with the two women and tried to convince both parties that it was incredibly irresponsible.

"Just chill out, Mum, OK?" Katy tried to soothe her several days later, finally getting irritated by the topic. "It was just one night."

"OK." Ronnie took a deep breath and smiled. "OK."

"Phil's not seriously going to sell the Vic to Janine, is he?" Katy asked, changing the subject and screwing up her face in disgust at the thought. She bounced Ruby on her hip as she put the kettle on to boil.

"He wants rid, she wants the Vic." Ronnie replied calmly.

"But Janine?"

The blonde shrugged. "She can get the money. Who else around here has that kind of cash? Who else is desperate enough to play Phil's games?"

"No one." The younger woman agreed. Then she sighed and passed the little girl in her arms to her mother so she could make the tea. "Anyway, have you heard about Christmas Day?"

"A very merry Mitchell-Beale Christmas?" Ronnie winced. "It's gonna be a train wreck."

"Why is it even happening?"

With a shrug, the blonde settled herself at the table and accepted the mug that was pushed towards her. "Apparently it was Lola and Peter's idea; something about burying the hatchet and it being the season of goodwill or something."

"But why? It's not like Ben's around to unite Phil and Ian, is it?"

"Lola and Peter?"

"Makes sense." Katy agreed slowly, leaning against the counter and clutching her mug in both hands. "But this is something I would pay to see. Phil and Ian spending Christmas together? It'll be carnage."


	9. Chapter 9

Trying to build bridges considering all the bad feeling that was hanging between Ronnie and Roxy over the younger woman seeing Carl, Katy suggested that they went last minute shopping on Christmas Eve. Both of them agreed but, at the last moment, Sharon decided that she needed the day off and Ronnie was forced to work instead. She persuaded her sister and daughter to go anyway, so they headed up west with their daughters and spent the day trailing round the shops and spending too much money.

"What the hell is that?" Katy demanded as a loud, ear-splitting wailing filled the air. She and Roxy stopped halfway across the Square, trying to work out where the sound was coming from.

"Sounds like it's coming from Dot's." The older woman said, glancing at her niece quickly. She took hold of the handles of Ruby's pushchair, nudging Katy out of the way with her hip. "You go and see if she's OK. I'll get the girls home."

Nodding, Katy watched Roxy, Amy and Ruby making their way into the gardens, before turning and jogging towards Dot's house, covering her ears as the noise got louder. Knocking on the door, she was surprised when Abi answered the door. Seconds later the alarm stopped and the Mitchell could hear herself think again.

"I'm so glad you're here." Abi gushed, yanking the older girl into the house and closing the door behind her.

"What's happened? Is Dot OK?"

"Not really." The blonde sighed. "She's in here."

Leading the way to the kitchen, Abi pushed Katy in ahead of her. The brunette frowned as she saw Poppy leaning over the table to set a teacup in front of Dot, who seemed to be shaking. Dropping into the seat beside the elderly woman, Katy reached over and took her hand, squeezing it tightly.

"What's happened? Are you OK?"

"She was robbed." Poppy said in a low voice, as though Dot wouldn't hear her. "The money for the Church. Someone came in here and stole it."

"What?" Katy's eyes darkened with fury and her face clouded over dangerously.

The Mitchell had joked that because Dot was her step-father's step-mother, the 'steps' cancelled each other out and meant that the elderly woman was her actual grandmother. Both Katy and Dot knew better than most that there was more to family and love than biology and there was a very high mutual affection between the pair.

"Who was it?" She demanded, standing up and clenching her fists. "If you have any idea–"

"Sit down, Katy." Dot said softly, pulling on her arm and causing the girl to sink into her seat once more. "I won't have you getting into trouble for me."

"But you can't–"

"No, that's the end of it."

Sulkily, the Mitchell leant back in her chair and folded her arms. "Fine."

Poppy and Abi looked between them and deciding it was safe to speak, the blonde smiled at her sister's best friend. "We were just persuading Grandma to come to Church with us later. You'll come, won't you?"

"Oh, yeah, you have to come and see Mrs Branning's show stealing moment."

Katy barely concealed a wince. "Oh, I dunno... I'm not exactly a church-going person."

"Please?" Dot asked, so quietly that for a moment the three girls thought they had imagined it. With a resigned sigh, Katy nodded her agreement.

She stayed with the elderly woman for a while, making tea and finding biscuits in one of the cupboards. Then she left, needing to sort out who would look after her daughter while she was at Church.

Roxy snorted with amusement when Katy told her where she was going, but agreed to babysit her great-niece nevertheless.

The evening passed quickly and, before she knew it, Katy was crossing the Square, pulling her coat tighter around herself to block out the worst of the cold. She, Abi, Poppy and Dot piled into the elderly woman's car and they made their way, slowly, towards St Cuthbert's Church where the midnight mass was taking place.

"Why am I here?" Katy muttered as they followed Dot inside, earning herself a jab in the ribs on either side.

"Shhh!" Abi hissed. "This means a lot to Grandma. At least pretend you want to be here."

"Fine." The older girl sighed, stopping as Dot paused by the beautifully decorated Christmas tree. "Fine."

"_I know it may not seem like it now, but things will get better, OK?_" Poppy assured her softly.

"_Yeah, they will._" Abi agreed. "_The Lord is your strength and your shield._"

"_That's Psalm 28, verse 7. How d'you know about that?_" Dot asked her curiously.

All three younger woman chuckled. "_I've heard you say it enough times._"

"We do take in some of the things you tell us." Katy agreed with a smile.

"_The Lord is my strength and my shield."_ Dot repeated, almost dreamily.

"_Ahh! The inimitable Mrs Branning."_ The vicar greeted her cheerfully. "_We were starting to worry you wouldn't come. Are you ready for your star turn?_"

Dot looked slightly panicked, but then Poppy cleared her throat and pulled something out of her bag. "_I, err... I thought you might need this._"

Katy and Abi grinned as Dot took the proffered bell, looking at it as though it had been conjured with magic. She smiled weakly and then swallowed nervously, her hand trembling a little as she looked at the instrument.

"Shall we sit down." She suggested, leading the way to her usual pew. Lots of people greeted her as they walked through the church and the three young women found themselves being introduced to lots of people they would never remember the names of and listening to Dot being praised by all of them. The elderly woman was embarrassed, but her granddaughters and Poppy accepted the compliments on her behalf before being ushered into the pew.

Christmas Carols were the only hymns that Katy even vaguely enjoyed singing, but the highlight of the whole event as far as she was concerned was the choral piece that involved Dot's bell playing. Seeing the broad smile that slowly spread over her face as the song continued made the whole expedition worth it as far as Katy was concerned.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: oh look! We're nearly at Christmas and it's only February! :D_**

**_Thanks for reading guys, and thanks to those of you who've reviewed/messaged me! :)_**

**_x_**


	10. Chapter 10

Amy was up before the sun on Christmas morning. Evidently her mother had encouraged her to go and wake her cousin and so the small girl threw herself onto the bed, dragging Katy away from her dreams and into consciousness. Unable to be angry with the little girl who was beaming at her, Katy rolled out of bed and grinned at the sight of the stocking at the foot of her bed.

Lifting Ruby into her arms, she shouldered both their stockings and allowed Amy to lead her into Ronnie's bedroom where the two blondes were curled up under the duvet, trying to pretend they were awake. Setting the stockings down beside the bed, Katy glanced at her cousin and nodded. Without warning they both hurled themselves onto the figures under the covers, Katy being careful not to hurt her daughter in the process.

"Argh!" Roxy screamed swatting out at her assailants.

Ronnie simply laughed and sat up, dragging Amy onto her lap and peppering her face with kisses that made the little girl giggle. Then she scooped Ruby up, lavishing the same affection onto her granddaughter, while Katy settled herself in the tiny gap between her mother and aunt.

"Merry Christmas, baby." Ronnie said softly, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"You too, Mum."

"Presents!" Roxy's voice burst through the moment and she disappeared for a moment over the side of the bed to drag the stockings up.

Silence descended as all five of them eagerly ripped into their gifts, only punctuated by the sound of tearing paper and occasional comments and laughter at what they uncovered. Once everyone had finished and Ronnie had demanded that they clear up the mess they had made of her bedroom, they went downstairs to make breakfast, finding Phil already starting to prepare for the dinner.

Turning up the volume on her iPod speakers, Roxy started dancing round the kitchen to Christmas music, whirling Amy and Ruby in her arms with her and singing at the top of her lungs. Ronnie laughed at the sight, slinging an arm around her daughter's shoulders as she waited for the kettle to boil.

When Billy, Lola and Lexi arrived, Phil had them all working hard to make sure the dinner was perfect. Katy didn't see what was so special about Christmas Dinner anyway. To her it was just a glorified roast where everyone was forced to eat and pretend they liked vegetables they wouldn't normally touch with a bargepole, while being nice to people you usually hated. But that logic didn't wash with Phil, who told her that it was tough and they had to make sure Beale had nothing to criticise.

The second the doorbell rang Lola jumped to answer it. Katy and Ronnie exchanged a meaningful look and the blonde muttered that if the teenager and Peter weren't together she'd be incredibly surprised. Her daughter challenged her to a £20 bet that they would announce their relationship at some point that day, but Ronnie refused to take her up on it. Roxy, on the other hand, did so eagerly and the two women shook on it as the Beales walked into the living room.

Katy and Lucy, who had never seen eye-to-eye, largely avoided each other as they made the final preparations to the meal before taking their seats at the table. Katy sat between Phil and Ronnie, Ruby sharing her seat and plate, opposite Roxy and Amy.

It was one of the more awkward Christmas Dinners Katy had sat through with her family. Having Ronnie there was the best Christmas present either Roxy or Katy could have wished for and, perhaps, it was that which kept them sane during the day and the effect the Beales' presence was having.

"_What d'you reckon then, Ian?_" Ronnie asked, almost challengingly. "_Is it up to your exacting standards?_"

"_Yeah it's very tasty._" He agreed with a nod and a smile. "_Your handiwork?_"

"_No, it was Phil. Oh, and you should see him in a pinny. It's really quite a sight."_

Roxy and Katy laughed loudly at the image conjured by Ronnie's words. Even Phil snorted in amusement. Ian and his family simply stared as though Ronnie had just announced that Phil had cooked the entire meal naked.

"_I can imagine._" Denise muttered.

"_Oh, go on Phil, get your pinny on._" Roxy urged with a saucy wink. "_Give Denise a thrill._"

Ronnie and Katy cackled harder at that, but the woman in question seemed less than amused. "_Please don't._"

"_What you need is a woman around the house._" Ian said with a smile. "_You know, a new wife._"

"_What for?"_ Phil snapped.

"_Well, you know, to clean and cook."_

At his words, every single female at the table turned to look at him, disbelief on their faces. Even Billy, Phil and Peter raised their eyebrows at his comment, sensing trouble brewing.

"_What?_" Ronnie asked in bemusement as Roxy snorted and shook her head.

"Is he for real?" Katy asked, looking between her mum and her aunt as though for confirmation that she hadn't just imagined his words.

"_You're an expert, are ya? On marriage?_" Phil asked gruffly as the three women seated nearest him burst out laughing.

Standing in the doorway, bouncing Lexi in her arms, Lola looked vaguely alarmed. "_This is nice, ain't it, all of us being together?"_

"Are you being serious?_"_ Katy asked her, arching an eyebrow.

Phil carried on, as though no one else had spoken. "_Having done it four times?_"

"_Yes, well, sometimes it does take a while to find the right person."_ Denise defended her partner quickly.

"_Oh, and you've found the right person, have you?"_ Phil asked, laughing. Katy caught Roxy's eye and snorted, quickly turning and burying her face in her mum's shoulder so that she didn't laugh out loud.

"_Maybe._"

"_Yeah, Phil, there's nothing wrong with a bit of romance."_ Lola said. Katy instantly sat up wondering whether this would be the moment she won her bet with Roxy. "_Is there Pops?_"

"_Eh?_"

"_Romance...?_" The teenager repeated.

"_Oh, yeah. Yeah, course._"

Katy grinned. "Oh, Bill."

An awkward silence descended for a couple of moments and Katy was disappointed that Lola hadn't won her the money from her aunt. Having eaten far more than she could usually manage, the brunette leant back in her chair, complaining as her daughter bounced on her stomach.

"Eurgh... I'm stuffed. Go to Grandma, baby." She groaned, lifting Ruby onto Ronnie's lap.

Raising an eyebrow, the blonde pressed a kiss to the little girl's head and began to eat the Christmas pudding Lola had just placed in front of her. Katy grinned and picked up her spoon.

"I thought you were stuffed?"

With a mock look of outrage, the brunette tapped her mother gently on the nose with her spoon. "There is always space for Christmas pudding, Veronica."

"Right."

"_Ian? Christmas pud?_" Lola asked cheerfully.

"_Ahh! Why not._" He agreed. "_Might get lucky and find a sixpence in there._"

Phil snorted. "_Yeah, if you can travel back in time; it's 2013, init._"

"_Alright then. Maybe a shiny, new ten pence piece then."_ The other man amended.

Katy exchanged a look with her aunt, causing the blonde to almost choke on her mouthful of pudding as she tried to stifle her laughter.

"_No, I don't think there's anything in there._" Ronnie said, looking at Ian with amusement flashing in her eyes.

"_What?_" Ian complained. "_Oh, come on. It's tradition! You've gotta have a coin in your pud._"

Phil glared at him. "_You got any other criticisms? Cos I saw you left half your veg and half your turkey and all._"

"_I had a big breakfast._"

"_So, it was all perfectly cooked in your professional opinion, was it?_"

Katy was biting her lip so hard to stop herself laughing she was sure it would start bleeding any second. Roxy was pointedly avoiding catching her eye, but the brunette could see her shoulders shaking with laughter all the same.

"_Perfect._"

"_You wouldn't lie to me, Ian, would ya?_"

Lola turned to him in irritation as Ronnie, too succumbed to the silent giggles that were affecting her sister and daughter. "_Phil! Can you just leave it and let everyone enjoy themselves?_"

"_I am enjoying myself and so's Ian._" Phil told her. "_Ain't you, Ian?_"

"_No!_" The blonde teenager argued. "_No, he's not. No one is._"

"I am." Katy muttered. "This is better than a soap."

"Shut up." Ronnie murmured, poking her in the leg.

"_I just wanted everyone to get on so we could be honest for once._" Lola continued.

Everyone stopped and looked at her. "_About what?_"

"_Tell 'em._" The teenager urged Peter, who looked as though he was about to be thrown into a pit full of lions. "_Go on, tell them._" When he simply continued his goldfish routine, Lola sighed and took over. "_Me and Peter... we're together. We're a couple._"

"You owe me twenty quid." Katy told her aunt, returning her attention to her pudding while everyone else stared at the young couple.

"_Did you know about this?_" Phil demanded, staring fiercely at Ian.

Ian looked offended by the assumption. "_No, course not._"

"_Phil, look–_" Peter stared, but he was cut off immediately.

"_Shut up, I weren't talking to you._"

"_Don't tell him to shut up!_" Lola snapped. "_Look, we are together and you either accept that or I will go upstairs, get Lexi, walk out of this house and I won't come back._"


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: I'm really, REALLY sorry that I haven't updated in so, SO long. Things in my life have been absolutely mental recently and things with my job are just going to get more stressful! I'll do my best to update as regularly as I can, I promise!**_

_**Massive thanks to all of you for sticking with this... reviews are gratefully received ;)**_

_**x**_

* * *

><p>An uncomfortable silence fell over the table. Everyone was looking between Lola, Phil and Peter uneasily, wondering what was going to happen. Katy was impressed by her cousin's bravery in standing up to Phil, let alone the way she was using his granddaughter to blackmail him; possibly for the second time if Ronnie was right about how this whole joint Christmas Dinner had come about in the first place.<p>

Phil jerked his head in an approximation of a nod. "_Alright. Whatever you want. It's got nothing to do with me._"

_"Really?_"

"_Now all of a sudden I've lost my appetite._" Ian announced, clearly not happy about the whole situation.

"_Yeah, why don't we go out to that party?_" Denise suggested. "_I can hear the music now. Give Kat and Alfie a proper send off._" She trailed off we she caught Roxy's eye.

"_No, you're alright. I think I'll stay here._" The blonde answered bluntly.

The awkwardness rose, until Billy suggestion clearing the plates and everyone jumped into action. Katy volunteered to stay behind with her mum and aunt to wash up and tidy everything away.

When most of the clearing up had been done, Ronnie suggested that Katy take Amy and Ruby out for a while to enjoy the party. At first the young woman was reluctant, but then she realised that Roxy didn't seem to mind; in fact she was encouraging her niece to take the children out.

Making sure the three of them were wrapped up tightly against the cold, Ronnie and Roxy stood in the doorway and watched as Katy pushed Ruby's pushchair across the Square, swinging the hand she was holding Amy's in backwards and forwards. The sisters watched until Katy joined the Butchers and headed towards the various marquees with them.

She stood with Whitney, who was bouncing Scarlett in her arms, and watched as Tiffany and Morgan took Amy to get some candyfloss. She shouted to them to get one for Ruby too, when her daughter complained, causing Liam to jog back towards her and hold out his hand for money. Rolling her eyes, the young woman rummaged in her coat pocket and pulled out a tenner, which she handed over, telling him to buy all five candyflosses with it. He thanked her, before returning to the stand and taking charge.

Katy's offer led to an argument with Bianca, who didn't want charity. The brunette rolled her eyes and reminded the older woman that it wasn't charity if you were family and they were as good as cousins, because of Jack; even if he wasn't around anymore.

"Where's Carol?" Katy asked after a couple of moments quiet, where she and Whitney simply watched the children enjoying themselves.

"Dunno. She was waiting for David I think."

"Hey, Katy." Tiffany appeared at her side, grinning up at her, the stick of her candyfloss clutched in one hand and Amy's hand held tightly in the other. "Has Whitney told you what happened at Christmas Dinner?" When the young woman shook her head, the girl grinned even more broadly. "Mum went mental and chucked her food at Rosie and TJ's mum. Then she kicked them all out; Terry and all! It's well bad!"

"Is she OK?" Katy asked, turning to look over at the bench where Bianca was sitting alone.

"Not really. She's mental." Tiffany said with a shrug. "Can I take Amy over there where Bobby is?"

Nodding, Katy told her to be careful and watched them closely until they reached Bobby and Lucy by the mulled wine tent. She was just about to suggest they went to sit with Bianca, when Janine almost ploughed into them. She wrenched Scarlett from Whitney's arms and bundled her into her car seat, running round to jump into the driver's seat.

"_What's the matter?_" The younger of the two girls asked in confusion, watching Janine with a furrowed brow. "_Where're you going?_"

Joey, Carol and David came charging over as well, skidding to a halt by the car. Janine revved the engine as Joey stood in front of her, before putting it into reverse.

"_Janine! You can't do this!_" David shouted, trying the driver's door only to find that it was locked. "_Janine! Don't run! You can't!_"

The car shot backwards and she tried to turn, only to drive straight into the path of a police car that was speeding towards her, lights flashing and siren blaring. Janine reversed, trying several times to get clear of the police cars that were blocking her in. She sped round the Square, blaring the horn and sending people leaping in all directions to get out of her way.

Whitney and Katy stared at each other, hurrying round the corner to see what was going on. Tiffany and the others found them at once and Katy lifted a terrified Amy into her arms, holding her tightly.

There was a loud crash as Janine's car collided with the mulled wine tent that Katy's cousins had been standing by only moments before. Two blonde figures appeared, looking desperately around. When Ronnie and Roxy spotted them, they charged over; Roxy grabbing her daughter and Ronnie pulling Katy into her arms and checking for injuries.

"We're fine." The young woman assured her, glancing towards the cause of the commotion. "It's Janine."

"_Janine. Janine! Don't do this!_" David was still shouting, trying to reason with her. "_You're gonna make it worse!_"

The woman opened the back door and tried to pull out her screaming daughter. The police got to her before she could undo the straps, hauling her away.

"_Please let me have my baby!_" She begged through her tears. "_Don't you touch her! Get off me! She's mine! She's my little girl!_"

"_Janine Butcher, you're under arrest,_" one of the policemen handcuffing her announced, "_for the murder of Michael Moon. You are not obliged to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention, when questioned, something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. Do you understand?_"

They dragged her away, still calling out for Scarlett. Carol stepped forward and took the little girl off the policewoman, explaining that she was family. Everyone watched as she was bundled into the back of the police car in handcuffs, moving forward as the car slowly began to drive down Bridge Street, before turning out of sight.


	12. Chapter 12

"Any plans for today?" Roxy asked, dropping down on the sofa next to her niece and stealing the remote from her hand.

"I might go and spend that £20 I earned yesterday." Katy grinned, winking at the blonde.

"You must have had inside information." Roxy groaned. "Why else would you guess that Lola and Peter would do something as stupid as announce they're going out at Christmas Dinner?"

The brunette laughed. "Because it's Lola and Peter?" She noticed the distracted look in her aunt's eyes and sighed. "It's changeover day at the Vic, ain't it? You OK?"

"Course I am. They brought it on themselves. Besides a fresh start is just what this place needs."

"Yeah, with Janine being arrested... d'you reckon she'll get sent down? How long d'you reckon she'll get?"

"Life, hopefully, crazy bitch."

Katy grinned and then nudged the older woman in the ribs. "Come on, let's go up west and see how much money we can spend. It'll take your mind off things."

There was a pause. Then Roxy sighed and nodded, standing up. "Yeah, alright, but let's go to the caf first and get a drink, yeah?"

With Amy and Ruby at Carol's for a play date, the two women were free to do what they wanted with their day. Katy and Ronnie had made a deal, meaning that the younger woman was working New Year's Eve at the club, but not having to go in until then. Her mother would get New Year's Eve and New Year's Day off in return.

They passed Shirley and Tina in the gardens, watching the line of people helping Kat and Alfie moving out of the Vic. The four of them laughed for a moment, none of them having any incentive to offer to help. Instead they leant against the railings offering, mostly unhelpful, suggestions to those passing the couple's belongings along the line.

"Not gonna help?" Lola called from her place beside Peter.

Katy snorted with laughter. "You kidding? Are you a Mitchell or what?"

The blonde simply rolled her eyes and got on with the task at hand. Katy shook her head and tugged on Roxy's arm, motioning towards the caf. They headed down Bridge Street, completely ignoring the couple whose possessions were being moved by conveyor belt, and entered the cafe, rubbing their hands together against the cold.

Roxy bought two coffees and they settled themselves at a table, flicking through a magazine. They were interrupted a short while later by Shirley and Tina.

"_Hello again._"

"_Alright?_" Roxy smiled at Shirley's younger sister.

"_No, not today, Tina._" The older blonde snapped, making her way to the table behind Roxy and Katy's.

"_I'm just being friendly!_" Tina argued.

"_Not when I've got a hangover._"

Katy laughed softly, glancing up when Billy took the seat opposite hers. She smiled at him, taking a sip from her mug and wrapping her hands around it to absorb the warmth.

"_Alright? What're they saying?_" Roxy asked eagerly, keen for gossip on the latest scandal on the Square.

"_Janine's not budging on her story._" Billy replied, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "_They've charged her with murder though. I know._" He shook his head. "_They said that, it turned my stomach. I mean, Janine's a lot of things, but that's done my head in that has._"

"_So what? She's saying she didn't do it?_" Roxy asked, sounding as though she didn't believe that the woman was innocent for a second.

"_Well you would do, wouldn't you?_" Shirley chipped in.

Katy shifted her seat slightly so that she could see the two Carters without craning her neck uncomfortably. "Course. You ain't gonna admit it unless you're some kind of nutter."

"_There's nothing proven, is there?_" Billy reminded them defensively. "_They've still got Alice's confession. It's all up in the air._"

Roxy snorted derisively. "_Pity._"

"_I need a drink._"

"_Well you'll have to wait._" Roxy told her cousin bluntly. "_Because, as of today, the Vic is under new management._"

Billy frowned. "_What?_"

"_Yep._"

"_Who's bought it now?_"

"_I don't know._"

"Some bloke Phil knows I think." Katy said with a shrug.

"_It's gonna be a gay bar._" Shirley announced. Everyone turned to look at her in surprise.

"_Yeah, right._"

"_I've seen the plans._" The blonde continued seriously. "_It's got all little rainbow flags outside... gonna paint it pink. There's loads of drawings of these oiled-up men suspended in cages."_

Roxy chuckled, deeply amused. "_I like it. I like it. I might call Christian._"

"_But that's my local!_" Billy complained.

"_It still will be._" Tina pointed out.

"_You'll just have to oil up, Billy._"

Katy pulled a face. "And with that image firmly embedded in my mind, let's get out of here, Rox."

The younger blonde nodded and they stood, gathering their things. By the time they reached the tube station, Roxy was showing less enthusiasm than she usually did at the thought of shopping. In fact it was she who suggested that they went home instead.

Katy didn't argue, but wondered what was wrong with her aunt. Roxy rolled her eyes and said she'd just remembered she was supposed to be doing something. When the younger woman asked what it was, Roxy glared at her and demanded to know whether she was allowed any secrets.

"Oh my god, is it that Carl guy?" Katy asked, suddenly realising why Roxy was being so cagey. "Mum's gonna freak."

"You do not tell Ronnie, OK? Do not tell her."

"She'll find out." The brunette said with a shrug. "She always does."

Roxy glared at her. "No she won't, not if you keep your gob shut. I'm being careful about it, OK? Not that it's anyone else's business anyway."

"Like I care which crappy boyfriend you've got this week."

"Oi!"

"What, it's true!" Katy laughed. "You have shit taste in men."

"Like you can talk."

The younger woman shrugged again. "I'm not even denying it. We both have a terrible ability to choose men who are good for us." She frowned and glanced at her watch. "Alright, I'll help cover for you with Mum. It's nearly twelve. You've got 'til four to do whatever and then we're actually going to the sales for a bit, OK? Mum will never believe we went shopping and didn't buy anything."

Roxy frowned suspiciously at her niece. "Why are you enabling me?"

"Fake alibis work both ways, don't they." Katy reminded her with a wink. "You go do your thing and I'll do mine. I'll meet you at the tube at four."


	13. Chapter 13

"You are kidding?" Katy laughed loudly as her aunt informed her who the new owners of the Vic were, late the next morning. "That's hilarious."

"Phil doesn't think so." Ronnie told her, setting a mug of coffee in front of her daughter.

"Nah, course he don't." She grinned broadly. "I bet Bitch Barbie is furious."

"Yeah, she was ranting and raving about it." Roxy agreed, pausing in the painting of her nails for a moment to glance up at her niece. She didn't even need to ask who Katy was talking about, knowing from the nickname that she was referring to Sharon. "I thought she was going to go and physically attack Shirley at one point last night."

"Hashtag Team Shirl." The brunette said, still grinning from ear-to-ear.

Ronnie arched an eyebrow at her. "You should be Team Mitchell. That means you're team whoever we're aliened with at the moment."

"That's stupid. I will never side with Sharon over Shirl." Katy snapped. "She's a stuck-up bitch and her kid's evil."

"Katy." Her mother said in a warning tone.

"No, he is. Did you not hear what he did to Whit? The little shit nearly got her sacked."

"That is true, Ron." Roxy agreed, glancing up from her nails again.

"Besides, Shirl's always looked out for me and Ruby. What's Bitch Barbie ever done for me?"

"Another fair point." Roxy nodded.

Ronnie sighed. "It's not about sides, Katy. It's about what's best for us."

The brunette nodded defiantly. "Right, and that's being on Team Shirley."

With another deep sigh, the blonde stood and started rinsing the mugs in the sink. Her daughter grinned triumphantly and went upstairs for a shower, feeling as though she'd won that particular disagreement.

"_Oi!_" Ronnie's voice met Katy's ears as she left her bedroom a while later, intending to head back down to join her family. Instantly she focused her attention on what was happening at the foot of the stairs. "_Where're you going?_"

"_Sales._"

"_And you've got to tiptoe to those, do you?_"

"_Yes._" Roxy said defiantly. "_She's fallen asleep in there. I didn't want to wake her._"

"_Oh. What you after?_"

"_Well what do you think? A bargain._"

Sensing that Ronnie was still deeply suspicious about her sister's behaviour, Katy darted back into her room and grabbed her bag and jacket, before heading quickly downstairs. Smiling at her mother, she shrugged her coat on and joined Roxy at the door.

"Sorry, couldn't find my shoe." She said with a smile.

"Oh, you're going too?" Ronnie asked, looking between them.

Katy nodded. "Yeah, if you don't mind watching the kids?"

"No, no. It'll be fine." The blonde agreed, smiling warmly. "Hoping to spot something you missed yesterday?"

"Of course!" Her daughter grinned, before leaning forward and kissing her on the cheek.

With a little wave, the two women slipped out of the house and starting walking in the vague direction of the tube station for the second time in two days. They paused in front of the caf and looked at each other carefully.

"Meet at the tube at... three?" Roxy suggested.

Katy grinned, pulling out her mobile to text Max. "See you then."

x-x

They walked back through the Square, swinging their bags lazily. Roxy let them into the house, which was unusually quiet, through the front door.

"_Ron? Amy?_"

"Rubes?"

As if on cue, the backdoor closed and voices could be heard in the kitchen. Exchanging a look, the two women moved through the living room to greet them.

"_Hi!_" Roxy said enthusiastically, beaming at the trio who put their bags down on the floor. "_Hey! Has Auntie Ronnie been spoiling you, has she?_"

Ruby held out her arms and Katy put down her own shopping to scoop her up, settling her on her hip and chucking her under her cheek playfully. "I hope Grandma didn't spend too much on you?"

"Never too much." Ronnie said, smiling at the little girl.

"_Did you have a nice day?_" Roxy asked, speaking more to Amy than anyone else.

"_Yeah, they loved it._"

"_Good. Good. Well I had a nice day._" She glanced quickly at Katy, who was shooting her a look. "Me and Katy both did. _Thanks for asking._"

"We did, yeah." The brunette agreed, nodding quickly.

Ronnie spared her daughter a cursory, slightly betrayed look, before turning to her sister again. "_I saw you._"

"_What? At the sales?_"

"_No, with Carl._"

Katy's eyes widened and she had to work hard to keep her face under control. If Ronnie had seen Roxy with Carl, then that meant she knew that Katy hadn't been with her. If she knew that then she would a, be angry that Katy had lied and b, demand to know where the young woman had actually been all day.

Roxy shrugged, acting as casual as she could. "_I just bumped into him._"

"_I didn't really see you._" Ronnie informed her with an irritated smile. Roxy and Katy both stared at her. "_Then again I suppose I didn't need to, did I, hey?_"

"Mum... we did just bump into him." Katy attempted to convince her, but the older woman just shot her a look.

"_Here..._" Ronnie threw something she had pulled out of one of her shopping bags in Roxy's direction. "_Grab this._"

Roxy and Katy looked at the object in confusion. "_Sun cream? It's winter, Ronnie._"

"_Not in Ibiza. I'm taking you and Amy _and Katy and Ruby_ for a little holiday._"


	14. Chapter 14

With a groan, Katy hauled herself out of bed and rubbed her eyes tiredly. Yawning, she balanced Ruby on her hip and grasped Amy's hand in hers. The little girl had been in and out of her bedroom for the past half hour asking where Roxy was.

"What did Auntie Ronnie say?"

"She said Mummy had to pop to the shop for milk."

"Well there you go, then, honey." Her older cousin said with a smile. "I'm sure she'll be home soon."

"Can we go to Auntie Carol's again? I want to play with Morgan and Tiff."

"Maybe. We'll have to see whether they're busy, babe."

Settling the girls in the living room with the television on and their toys strewn around, the young woman shuffled into the kitchen, stretching up and working out the kinks in her back. Running a hand through her hair, she yawned again and offered her cheek to her mother to kiss.

Ronnie chuckled. "Good morning, sunshine."

"Mornin'. Where's Rox?"

"Out." Her mother replied bluntly. "You got in late last night."

Katy hesitated for a split second and then shrugged. "Lost track of time."

"Where were you?"

"Out!" The young woman answered irritably. "God! Get off my case!"

Ronnie frowned at her, reaching out and grasping her daughter's wrist as she grabbed for a mug on the counter. "Where were you?"

"Just out!"

Wrenching her arm free, she pushed past and went into the living room where she hoped Ronnie would give up on the argument. Carefully throwing a cartoon of juice to Amy, Katy poked the straw into the other she had brought with her and handed it to her daughter.

"Who with?"

"No one important!"

Their argument was prevented from going any further by the sound of the back door opening and Roxy moving around in the room met their ears. The blonde shot her daughter a look, before returning to the kitchen to confront her sister. Unwilling to miss out on that particular conversation, the young woman slid off the arm of the chair and followed her mum to the back of the house.

"_Amy's been asking where you were._" Ronnie said coldly as Roxy took a long gulp from a bottle of water. Katy slipped past her and pulled herself up to sit on the counter and watch the show. "_So I told her that you popped out early._"

"_That would a lie then, wouldn't it?_"

"_Can you make sure you pack the nice Roxy before we go to Ibiza, please?_"

Roxy huffed irritably. "_I dropped my scarf somewhere._" She muttered turning and slamming out through the back door just as Phil entered the room.

"Off." He snapped at the brunette, waiting until she reluctantly slid off the counter top and leant against it instead.

"_You know she's still sleeping with Carl, don't you?_" Ronnie informed her step-brother, nodding after her sister.

"_I don't care._"

"_It's the third night in a row that she hasn't even been home._"

"_Listen, if she wants to behave like a spoilt cow then it's down to her,_" Phil said with a shrug, "_I ain't looking out for her anymore. Anyway, doing it your way... you're just gonna push her away, ain't ya?_"

"_So what am I supposed to do? Am I just supposed to pretend–?_"

"_I've, uh, invited Sharon over._" Phil cut across her, evidently not interested in anything else she had to say on the subject. "_Denny's been ill all weekend so I haven't had a chance to see her._"

"_So she's more important now, is she?_" Ronnie asked with a scowl. "_Sorry, I'm confused. So does that mean you and her are back together, then?_"

"Gross." Katy muttered, shaking her head and curling her lip in disdain at the thought of the older blonde.

"_Ronnie, it's nothing to do with you, alright?_ It's nothing to do with either of you, so keep your opinions to yourself, alright, 'cos I don't care what you think."

"_Well, I'm surprised,_" Ronnie said, leaning down to put the water bottle Roxy had left on the table back in the fridge as the back door opened, "_I always thought you'd end up with Shirley._"

Katy couldn't help a snort of laughter escaping as Sharon walked through the back door and caught her mother's sentence. Ronnie straightened up and met the other woman's eye defiantly, while Sharon looked quickly at Phil.

"I got your text."

Ronnie shot Phil a sarcastic smile, before turning and pulling her still laughing daughter out of the kitchen. They shut the door behind them, leaving Sharon and Phil to their conversation in peace. Neither of the Mitchell women wanted to hear what they were talking about.

Leaving her mother to sort out the two children in the living room Katy went up to her bedroom to get dressed. She quickly sent Max a text as she applied her makeup, but received a message back telling her that he was away at a car auction and wouldn't be back 'til late that evening.

Downstairs, she found Ronnie going through Roxy's bag on the kitchen table. Rising an eyebrow, she leant in the doorway watching for a moment.

"Rox'll kill you, you know that, right?"

"I'm looking for keys, alright?" Her mother replied defensively, glancing up at her. "Unless you know where mine are?"

Katy shook her head. "I have no idea, unless they're in the bowl in the living room."

"I've looked there."

The blonde pulled out Roxy's keys and then paused, her hand stilling inside the bag for a moment, before she drew it out slowly. Her eyes were fixed on whatever was in her hand and Katy moved forward to get a better look at the object.

"Is that...?" Katy asked, furrowing her eyebrows at the little bag containing white powder that Ronnie was holding. She rounded the table and Ronnie moved to the sink. "Mum?"

Watching as her mother emptied the contents of the bag into the sink, Katy's head whipped round as she heard the tell-tale click of Roxy's heels and stared at her wide-eyed as her aunt entered the kitchen. The younger blonde's gaze was fixed on her sister and she scowled furiously at her.

"_What the hell d'you think you're doing?_" Roxy demanded. Ronnie stared at her defiantly as she turned on the tap, letting the water wash the powder away. "Ronnie? What are you doing?"

"I'm out of here." Katy muttered, sensing the tension rising dramatically and slipped past her aunt.

She hurried down the hall and grabbed her jacket from the hooks, before walking out of the front door. She could hear the shouting from the kitchen, even as the door slammed shut behind her. Briefly she considered going back in and taking Amy and Ruby with her, but then she reasoned that Ronnie and Roxy couldn't murder each other if the two little girls were inside.

On her way to the café, Katy spotted Max and Abi talking to Shirley's brother and his son and her eyes narrowed. Pulling out her mobile, she sent him a quick text.

**'Funny looking car auction. If you didn't want to see me, you could have just said. I'm a big girl, I can handle it.'**

**'Plans changed. The auction was cancelled. Come round later.'**

**'Don't really fancy it. Maybe tomorrow.'**

Stuffing her phone into her pocket, she sped up to catch up with Shirley and Tina who were heading back in the direction of the Vic. She grinned at them as they paused to wait for her and all three started walking slowly towards the pub.

As they reached the doors, Tina excused herself and doubled back, but Shirley and Katy went inside. The brunette took a seat at the bar, while Shirley walked around it and poured them both drinks. Linda frowned in annoyance at the move, but refrained from doing anything more than sniffing disapprovingly and wandering away.

"So, how are things in the magical world of the Mitchells?" The older woman asked, taking a gulp of her drink.

Katy shrugged. "The usual. Mum and Rox are arguing, Phil's a brainless goon, Billy's fucking useless and Lola's a self-absorbed airhead; just another normal day in Mitchell land. How is it being in the Vic?"

"Brilliant. Seeing Sharon's face is just priceless."

"Eurgh." The younger woman pulled a face. "Bitch Barbie was round ours this morning. I think her and Phil are together again. It's sick."

Shirley said nothing, but drained her glass swiftly and moved to pour herself another. She glanced at Katy, who nodded, finished her own drink and passed the glass across the bar.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: Thanks to everyone who is reading this! I hope you're still enjoying it! Leave me a review, maybe? ;)_**

**_Special thanks to _RHatch89_ for your review on the last chapter!_**


	15. Chapter 15

Katy and Shirley continued drinking and chatting for a while, until the pub started filling up around them. Katy took great delight in flirting with Johnny, much to his immense embarrassment. Shirley found it utterly amusing, especially seeing as her nephew turned an adorable shade of red every time his parents spotted him talking to Katy and made a comment about it.

"He wouldn't be able to handle Katy." Shirley said with a chuckle, nudging the young woman in the ribs. "She'd eat him alive."

"My boy's a magnet." Linda replied, ruffling Johnny's hair and making him blush even more.

"_Shirley!_" Dot swept into the pub and walked straight over to where Katy and Shirley were sitting on stools and leaning on the bar. "_You never told me you had no brother? He came in today with his dog, who's very lovely but hardly appropriate for an establishment what does laundry, and he tells me he's taken over as landlord here._"

"_Yeah, he said he came in with Lady Di._"

"_That's the dog, Lady Di._" Mick clarified as Dot fixed him with a horrified look.

"_The royal family was hardly out on earth for your cheap mockery._"

"_Nah, it's my mum._" Johnny said. "_She loves Lady Di; got a wedding mug and everything._"

Dot still looked incredibly unimpressed. "_People round here laid flowers for her. They can hardly be very pleased._"

"_Then they'll be happy to see her memory live on._" Linda joined in with a smile.

"_Well I reckon she ought to be left to rest in peace._" Dot argued.

As though trying to diffuse the situation, Mick motioned towards the woman beside him. "_This is my wife, Linda._"

"_How many more of them are there?_" Dot asked Katy, looking directly at her.

Tina appeared at that moment, depositing dirty glasses she'd collected on the bar. "_We're like flies, ain't we?_"

"_Who's she?_" Dot asked the young brunette beside her in bewilderment.

"_Let me get you a drink, Dot._" Mick offered.

"_Mrs Branning, if you don't mind._" She corrected him. "_And I'm not that parched._"

As she wandered away, Shirley and Mick started laughing. Katy sighed and frowned, kicking the blonde's shin with the toe of her boot.

"Hey, leave off." She ordered.

"She a mate of yours?" Johnny asked, obviously attempting to get back at her for her teasing.

Katy arched an eyebrow. "Grandma, actually, so back off."

Shirley held up her hands defensively and then ordered them two more drinks. When, a little while later, Whitney came in, Katy headed over to sit with her, allowing Shirley to get back to work. They chatted for a while and then the Mitchell realised that her friend's attention was more focused on the young barman than their conversation.

"If you like him, go and talk to him." She suggested, rolling her eyes.

Whitney chewed her lip for a moment and then smiled "I've got a better idea."

Staying in the booth, Katy watched as Whitney went to the bar and spoke to Linda. The woman nodded and moved away, returning a moment or two later and handing her a pint. Whitney carried it carefully round to the end of the bar where Johnny was playing darts with his dad, Max, Terry, Alfie and Tina.

Katy couldn't hear what was being said, but she did hear the whooping and laughter that accompanied it and raised her eyebrows as Whitney took her seat once more, sliding down on the cushion and grinning at her friend in a very self-satisfied way.

"So?"

"I said he could help me with me ironing next time."

"You are so weird."

"Yeah?" Whitney grinned. "And how's your love life looking?"

Katy smirked. "I ain't complaining?"

Her friend narrowed her eyes. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"You can't hold back information like that. That's totally against the best friend code." Whitney said seriously.

"Whatever."

"Seriously, are you seeing someone?"

"Not really."

"What does that mean?"

Katy sighed and shook her head. "There's just this guy who comes into the club sometimes. He buys me drinks and we flirt. That's it." She lied.

"You have to point him out to me tomorrow night if he's in, yeah?"

"Yeah, alright." She agreed, safe in the knowledge that Max almost definitely wouldn't be spending New Year's Eve in the R&R.

She glanced up at the sight of her mum and her aunt making their way to the bar. They seemed to be arguing, yet again. With a sigh, Katy said a hasty goodbye to Whitney and walked towards them, leaning against the wooden surface wearily.

"_He is going to destroy you, Roxy._" Ronnie was saying and, from the satisfied smirk Carl was sending her, Katy guessed he was the subject of their argument, yet again.

"_Yeah, if I let him._" Roxy shot back. "_You know, you were like this with me and Sean._"

"_Sean? Another one of your great decisions._"

"_I loved him. I loved him and you couldn't handle it._"

"_What are you talking about? He nearly killed you!_" Ronnie reminded her sister in disbelief.

"_You ruined me and Sean, you ruined me and Alfie._"

Ronnie looked shocked. "_Alfie? That was me as well, was it?_"

"_'Cos you're jealous._" Roxy told her. "_You're jealous that I've got a man and you haven't. You know what, Ron? You should keep that ring. 'Cos you know something? You and dad? You're just the same._"

Katy felt sick as her aunt's words ricocheted around in her mind. Roxy sent Ronnie a cold look as she moved to stand beside Carl at the bar. For a moment, the older Mitchell sister stood rooted to the spot. Then she turned and glanced at Katy, attempting and failing to pretend that she was fine, before heading for the doors.

A burst of anger rose up in the brunette and she moved around the bar, closer to Roxy. "Hey, Auntie Rox?"

As the woman turned to face her niece, Katy's hand shot out and slapped the blonde firmly around the face with a resounding crack. The entire pub fell silent, all eyes on the two Mitchells. Ronnie had stopped in the doorway and was watching the scene in surprise.

With a furious scowl on her face, Katy leant forward to hiss at her aunt. "Don't you ever, ever say anything like that to her again. Mum is nothing like him. Nothing. And when you've taken your head out of your ass you're gonna realise that you are wrong."

"Yeah, right."

"Oh, you will, Roxy. You forget that I know you. I love you, but if you ever, ever, say anything like that to Mum again, I'll make sure you fucking regret it."

Turning, the young woman stalked away, completely ignoring the hush that had fallen over the pub. She smiled at her mother, before leaving the building and allowing the doors to slam shut between them. Instead of speaking, Katy just held Ronnie's hand tightly as they crossed the Square.


	16. Chapter 16

From the moment she woke up on New Year's Eve, Katy felt sick. It took her a while to work out exactly why that was, but then it hit her like a tonne of bricks. Today was the three year anniversary of James' death. They hadn't mentioned anything the day before; his birthday. It felt odd and strained, as though they had simply erased him from their memories, but Katy knew it was the only way her mother could cope.

Glancing at her mobile, she wasn't surprised to see there were no messages or calls from her aunt. It would take Roxy more than one night to come to her senses and realise that she was wrong. It was a genetic trait, the young woman had come to realise, within the Mitchell family. Never admit when you're wrong; ever. Then again, it was a trait she'd inherited too, so she could really say anything.

As a mark of respect for her baby brother, the brunette dressed in black. It wasn't too marked a difference from her usual wardrobe, but Katy usually tried to wear at least one other colour to break up the black. She stared in the mirror for a while, just thinking about the tiny baby she had only got to hold a handful of times, before shaking her head and going about her usual morning routine.

It appeared that Ronnie had been up for some time. When she and Ruby went downstairs, Katy found her mother sitting at the dining table, looking at a chunky gold ring. Not wanting to interrupt her thoughts or alarm her, Katy carried her daughter into the kitchen and settled her in her highchair with breakfast, before going back in to see Ronnie.

Despite Katy calling out to her as she walked through the living room door, Ronnie jumped when the brunette put her hand gently on her shoulder. Slowly she turned to meet Katy's eyes, her own brimming with tears.

"Mum…"

"I'm fine, sweetie."

"No, you're not." Katy argued, stroking her mother's hair slowly. "Please, just… talk to me."

"I…" Ronnie opened her mouth to speak, but Ruby shouting from the kitchen spoilt the moment. She smiled weakly and nodded her head towards the sound. "Go and see to Ruby."

Her daughter was torn. "Give me a minute and I'll be back, OK?"

Waiting for the acknowledging nod, Katy hesitated. When she received what she was looking for, the brunette hurried into the kitchen to see what was wrong with Ruby. The little girl had knocked her juice onto the floor. With a smile, her mother picked up the cup and wiped the mouthpiece, before placing it back on the high chair's tray. She had just leant in to kiss the toddler on the head, when a smash from the dining room ripped her attention back to her mother and she ran out of the room.

"What...?"

Ronnie was staring at the cracked and fragmented mirror she had obviously just hurled something at. There was no sign of the glass that had been sitting in front of her on the table, so Katy guessed that had been her weapon of choice. Sighing, she crossed the carpet and stood between Ronnie and the mirror, blocking the blonde's view of her reflection.

"Mum… I know I'm not any kind of replacement for James, but… please… I need you. Ruby needs you." She begged, seeing the same look in her mother's eyes as she had done when she had started losing her grip on sanity three years previously. "I know I'm selfish and I know you deserve better than all this… but, please…"

Suddenly, something hard and determined flashed in the blonde's eyes. She turned them on her daughter, almost furiously. Raising both hands, Ronnie grasped her face with surprising gentleness.

"Don't you ever, ever say that I deserve better than you." She ordered fiercely. "Never. You and Ruby and Roxy and Amy are everything to me. Everything. You're all I have and everything I do is to protect you. D'you understand me?"

Katy nodded. "I know, Mum, I know."

"I love you, Katy."

"I love you too."

Katy threw her arms around her mother and clung on tight, burying her head in Ronnie's chest and inhaling her scent almost desperately. Ronnie returned the embrace just as urgently, pressing kiss after kiss to her daughter's hair.

When they broke apart, both women rubbed their eyes and sniffed, before favouring the other with a weak, watery smile.

"Are you going to go to James' grave?" Katy asked tentatively.

Ronnie shook her head. "I can't… I don't think I can face it."

"OK…" Her daughter looked slightly confused, but didn't push the matter. "I have to work, but if you change your mind, let me know, OK?" When Ronnie nodded, but didn't say anything, she frowned. "Promise?"

"I promise." Ronnie agreed with a weak chuckle, reaching out and touching her cheek affectionately.

"Are you going to be OK? I can beg Sharon to swap shifts if–"

"No, no. I'm fine." The blonde assured her with another unconvincing smile. "I won't have you begging Sharon on my account. It might kill you."

They both froze at her careless statement. Then Katy smiled weakly. "You know where I am if you need me. Promise you'll call or come to the club or…"

"I will, baby, I promise."

With a nod, Katy went to retrieve her daughter from the kitchen. She had decided to take Ruby into the office with her, along with some toys, so that she could at least spend some time with the two and a half year old on New Year's Eve. The fact that the day was linked with such a bad event was also a huge deciding factor in her decision. When the club opened, she was going to take Ruby round to the Brannings', where Abi and Jay had volunteered to babysit half of the Square, so that the adults could enjoy their night.

Around four o'clock, just when Katy was thinking about sneaking out for some fresh air to clear her head, the office door opened and Lola and Ronnie appeared with Lexi. The brunette smiled from behind her desk, unable to stop herself laughing softly as her daughter launched herself at Ronnie's legs. The smile that lit up the older blonde's face as she bent to pick up her granddaughter made Katy's heart feel as though it was about to explode with love.

"We're going to James' grave," Lola informed her softly, "you want to come?"

Katy nodded firmly. "Of course."

She locked the computer and switched off the monitor, before reaching into the drawer of her desk and pulling something out. Ronnie and Lola looked at it questioningly, before they realised what it was. Katy shrugged, a little embarrassed as they stared at the plastic fire engine in her hands.

"I guessed that I'd have been getting him something like this for Christmas or his birthday… I thought… well… I hoped he might like it…"

"He'd love it." Ronnie assured her quietly, before clearing her throat and bending to strap Ruby into her pushchair, allowing her hair to obscure her face.

The three women, with their two pushchairs, made their way to the tube station. It was a short journey to the graveyard where James was buried. None of them spoke while they were at the grave, but Lola and Katy instinctively moved away for a while to give Ronnie some time alone with her son. By the time they were leaving the churchyard, all three women felt lighter than they had when they arrived.

Katy reluctantly left the other two when they arrived back on Albert Square, walking slowly back to the club while the two blondes took both pushchairs and headed towards Phil's. She had been a little wary about asking Ronnie to take her daughter, not wanting to put pressure on her to look after the little girl yet again, but the older woman reminded her that she had to work and Ronnie had nothing to do. Katy reminded her that Abi and Jay were willing to babysit if her mother wanted to come to the club and spend New Year with her and Ronnie said she'd think about it.


	17. Chapter 17

By half past ten Katy had a banging headache. Everyone was much drunker than normal, much earlier than normal. She wasn't in the mood to flirt with punters and accept free drinks and fend off wandering hands. Three of her bar staff had called in sick, but she wasn't fooled for a second. She had already written out two official warnings, a final warning for the third, not in the mood to humour staff who thought she'd fall for their rubbish excuses. She'd even had the bouncers forcefully remove a group of men who had already had far too much to drink before they'd come in and seemed intent on making trouble.

Part of the young woman was relieved when the DJ started the countdown to the New Year. The other part of her was upset that Ronnie hadn't come in. She escaped just before the madness that would signal midnight kicked in and shut herself in the office.

Her mobile showed that she had several new messages. Putting her feet up on the desk, she scrolled through them lazily.

**Roxy **

**9:48pm**

**You were right, OK? Happy now? xox**

* * *

><p><strong>Max<strong>

**10:12pm**

**Try and slip away. I'll be at the car lot until eleven.**

* * *

><p><strong>Roxy<strong>

**10:29pm**

**I'm sorry. I don't want to start 2014 fighting with you. I love you, babe. xox**

* * *

><p><strong>Lauren<strong>

**10:33pm**

**Can you take a break? Come to the Vic! I know the others are all heading to the club later, but I want to see you! x**

* * *

><p><strong>Max<strong>

**10:51pm**

**I guess you didn't get my message, you're busy or you're still angry about yesterday.**

* * *

><p><strong>Mum<strong>

**11:05pm**

**We have to do something about Carl. I'm going to pay him off. I'll come to the club after. Love you xxx**

* * *

><p><strong>Whitney<strong>

**11:26pm**

**Can you get us in free? xx**

* * *

><p><strong>Roxy<strong>

**11:32pm**

**I don't want to be on my own at midnight… xox**

* * *

><p>With a frown, Katy dismissed all the other messages, focusing on the one her mother had sent her almost an hour earlier. It didn't take an hour to go to Carl's flat, give him money and threaten him. Ronnie should have been here long ago. But she wasn't.<p>

Worried, Katy was just grabbing her jacket to go in search of her mum, when her phone rang. She glanced at the display, thinking it would just be something phoning to drunkenly wish her a happy New Year and ready to ignore the call, when she saw the name on the display.

"Mum! Thank god. I was just–" A harsh sob from the other end of the line cut her off. "Mum? Mum! What's happened?"

"Katy, I…"

"Where are you?"

"Carl's flat, I…"

"Stay there, I'm coming." The younger woman ordered, before racing to the door, flicking the latch and pulling it closed behind her. The click as it locked sounded ominous to Katy as she hurried out of the club. "I won't be long, Nick." She told the bouncer with a smile, laying a hand on his muscular arm as she passed. "Just want to go and... you know… family."

"Wish them happy New Year from me, yeah?" Nick said with a grin. "Happy New Year to you, too, Katy."

"Yeah, you and all." She said with a smile, before putting her head down and hurrying away.

The streets were luckily relatively empty as Katy made her way to Carl's flat. She looked around quickly, before knocking tentatively on the front door. There were a couple of moments silence and then a shape appeared behind the glass and Ronnie let her in.

With a frown, the younger woman took in her mother's tearstained, dishevelled appearance worriedly. She didn't have long to think, however, as Ronnie fell on her and started to sob. Running a hand through her long, blonde hair, Katy tried to steer her mum into the living room where she almost flopped onto the sofa with Ronnie practically landing on top of her.

"What happened?" Katy asked calmly, seeing that that was what the blonde needed.

"I came to warn him off Roxy… to pay him to stay away. I gave him five grand…" She hiccupped out. "He said it wasn't enough. He threw me against that wall and I... I could feel his breath on my face, his hands and eyes on me…"

Katy's eyes flashed furiously. "He didn't…?"

"No." Ronnie shook her head vehemently. "He threw me on the sofa and climbed on top of me. I couldn't… he called me damaged goods and I thought he was going to… I managed to get him off me, but he was blocking the door." She trembled and Katy squeezed her hands reassuringly. "He came at me again and I just grabbed a bottle and…"

"You hit him." The younger woman finished for her, sounding remarkably calm. "Is he dead?"

"I don't know."

Gently disentangling herself, Katy stood up and looked around. She spotted Carl's body at once, lying on the kitchen floor. Moving carefully, she crouched beside him and felt for a pulse. It was a disappointment to feel the pulsing under her fingers that signalled he was alive.

Straightening up, not dwelling on the chilling fact that she was disappointed he wasn't dead, Katy looked at her mother calmly. "OK, we need to gag him, restrain him and take him somewhere so we can deal with this tomorrow." When Ronnie just blinked at her, she shook her head. "Get the bottle you hit him with, we need to take it with us."

Shakily, the blonde stood and did as her daughter had said. Katy found some duct tape in the cupboard under the sink and tore off a strip to stick over his mouth. Then she wrapped a healthy amount around his wrists, before replacing the tape where she had found it. Taking the wine bottle from Ronnie, she pushed it into her bag, before signalling that her mother should help her lift Carl. With some difficulty, they hoisted him up and began to carry him towards the door.

"Where are we going to put him?" Ronnie asked, clearly still in shock.

"The Arches." Katy grunted, struggling under the dead weight. "We'll shove him in one of the pits and go back for him in the morning when we've figured out what to do, OK?"

"Katy, I…"

"Not now, yeah?" The brunette said, shooting her mum a weak smile. "Let's just concentrate on moving him without being seen."

Somehow they managed to transport the unconscious man to the garage. Katy stayed hidden in the shadows while Ronnie ran back to the house and took Phil's keys. Both thanked whatever god or spiritual entities were around that the Square and surrounding streets were completely deserted and there was no one around to see what they were doing.

When Ronnie had replaced the padlock on the doors, they looked at each other. Katy smiled at her mother, reaching out and squeezing her hand. The blonde looked as though she was going to cry again.

"Let's go over to the Vic, OK? I told Nick I was popping out to see the family."

"I can't."

"Mum, come on. We have to act normal."

Grudgingly the woman nodded and allowed her daughter to drag her to the Vic. They could hear the celebrations as they approached and, when they opened the doors, they would hit by the full force of the music and laughter and the general atmosphere of the place.

They greeted their friends and family as normally as possibly, although Katy could tell that Ronnie was not happy. She made up for her mother's more restrained cheerfulness, hoping that people would just put it down to a combination of Ronnie's usual manner and the stress of what New Year's Eve meant for her.

"I'd better get back." Katy said reluctantly at about half past midnight. "I only said I was popping out for a minute."

Half of the younger generation went with her and, as promised, she let them in for free. From then until it was time to lock up, Katy busied herself in her office, mainly worrying about Ronnie and how this situation would affect her already precarious mental health and wondering what they should do with Carl. She was loathed to involve anyone else, even Phil, because it would make it more difficult to cover their tracks and hide their involvement.


	18. Chapter 18

Katy hadn't slept at all. She had left the R&R at about four and been awake ever since. Ronnie had collected Ruby from the Brannings' and Katy found the pair of them curled up in her bed when she returned home. Not wanting to wake them, she had just curled up on the chair in the corner of her room and watched them until she saw Ronnie stirring.

Not able to face her mother yet, she slipped out of the room and into the bathroom. The hot water of the shower seemed to wash away all her worries about what Ronnie had done the night before. Determination set in and Katy allowed a plan to form in her mind. She briefly thought about the coldness that had taken over her as she realised she was disappointed Carl was still alive, but then she dismissed the thought with a scoff.

"Katy?" The young woman jumped as Ronnie greeted her the second she stepped out of the bathroom. "Where have you been all night?"

"The club… then I didn't want to disturb you and Ruby, so I slept in your room." She lied quickly, moving past her mother and grabbing some clothes off the chair in her room. "I need to get to work and start cleaning up after last night."

"We need to work out–"

"You've got the bottle, yeah?" The brunette asked quietly and Ronnie nodded. "Shove it in the bottle recycling bin on the Square. I'll go and open up the R&R and get the guys started on the clean up and then I'll come back and we'll deal with the problem, OK?"

"OK."

"Don't do anything else until I get back."

The whole time Katy was at work she was thinking about Ronnie. She knew that what Ronnie had done had shocked her and she wasn't acting like herself. Katy was terrified that Ronnie would crack and tell someone or confess or do something equally stupid that would mean she'd lose her mother all over again. The brunette refused to let that happen; she would do anything in her power to prevent it.

Leaving one of the barmaids in charge and telling her to call if there was a problem, Katy grabbed her things and headed home. She let herself into the house, calling for her mum as she went. When there was no answer, she panicked, rushing out onto the Square in search of her.

Outside, she bumped into Phil and Sharon carrying suitcases towards the house. "No, no." Katy shook her head, holding her hands up and backing away. "I am not dealing with this. Fucking hell, this is like some bad romcom or recurring nightmare. It ain't gonna last anyway, so I ain't even gonna bother."

Not waiting for them to respond she pushed roughly past, knocking the bag out of Sharon's arms in the process.

"Oi!" Phil shouted after her.

"Bite me!" She snapped back, not even bothering to turn around as she shot them a rude hand gesture over her head.

She had had enough of living with Sharon and Denny the devil child when they'd moved into Jack's flat. She was sure as hell not planning on making things easy if they'd decided to stalk her in her new home as well. The rational part of her knew that Sharon was moving in with Phil and it had nothing to do with anyone else living in the house. The irrational part of her was furious.

"Hey, Cora, you seen my Mum?" She called, spotting Cora, dressed in a tracksuit, making her way across the gardens.

"Not since last night."

Katy nodded and let the older woman get on her way. She didn't even smile as she watched her jog slowly off. Instead she combed the Square and surrounding streets for any sign of the blonde, before giving up and heading home, hoping Ronnie would be there.

Opening the door, she heard raised voices in the living room and went in to find Ronnie and Phil arguing fiercely. It took her a couple of moments to realise what they were arguing about. Then she put her hands on her hips and glared furiously at her mother.

"You told him?"

"He's family."

"I told you not to do anything 'til I got back! I told you I would deal with this!"

Phil snorted. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to sort this."

"Where is he?"

"At the Arches." Ronnie informed him quickly.

"Mum!" Katy glared at her.

"At the… why?" Phil demanded. Before they could answer, he stormed out of the room, grabbed his jacket and slammed through the back door. Katy and Ronnie followed immediately, the blonde snatching her coat off the back of a chair and shrugging it on as they went. "_Why, eh? Why involve me?_"

"That's what I want to know." Katy snapped, frowning at her mother.

"_You're already involved!_" Ronnie reasoned. "_We had to put him somewhere, didn't we? Don't worry, nobody noticed, alright? It's just another bloke fallen over on New Year's Eve._"

"_I want normal, Ronnie. I'm doing normal._"

"_No, you're not._" She snapped. "_You've lost your balls, Phil. He tried to kill you, don't you remember? How many times have I told you he actually tried to attack me last night? He's pulling Roxy's strings like she's some kind of puppet. He's given her drugs. He is an absolute head case, alright, and he is taking us for mugs. You're just sat back admiring your Christmas slippers and that's not right._" She stopped and grabbed his arm. "_Phil! I came to you because I knew you'd know what to do._"

He said nothing, but continued walking towards the Arches. Ronnie shot a look at her daughter, who rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest defiantly.

"Go back to the club, Katy. You've done enough. I don't want you involved."

"Piss off." The brunette snapped. "I'm not a little kid. I can handle this."

"What do you know about this?"

"How d'you think I stopped Ruby's dad pestering me?" Katy asked, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "D'you think he just gave up?"

Ronnie blinked at her. "What?"

"Nathan had to disappear." Katy told her calmly. "I wanted him gone."

"What are you saying?"

"I sent him to the scrap yard." The younger woman said without flinching.

Mouth falling open at the casual admission, Ronnie took a hesitant step forward. "You mean you…"

"I hit him with a crowbar and stuffed him in the boot of a car I knew Phil was sending to be scrapped. I couldn't have him around Ruby; I couldn't let him take her away from me."

"So you killed him?"

Katy bit her lip, showing emotion for the first time since the beginning of the conversation. "It was him or me. He wouldn't have stopped unless I stopped him. So I did."

"Does anyone know about it?" Ronnie demanded.

"Just Phil."

"Phil?"

Nodding, the brunette started walking towards the metal doors of the garage. "I told him what I'd done. He called me a fucking idiot and then took the car to be scrapped. I watched as the machine destroyed it and d'you what I felt?" When Ronnie shook her head, apparently terrified of what her daughter might say, Katy elaborated with a twisted smirk. "I felt fucking fantastic; I won."

"Are you coming or what?" Phil demanded and they both nodded silently.


	19. Chapter 19

With a small shrug, the younger Mitchell woman walked towards him, leaving her mother to follow in her wake, still reeling from Katy's words. She couldn't imagine the teenager she'd left behind when she went to prison doing anything remotely like that. It was her fault, Ronnie decided as she watched the brunette waiting beside the doors to the Arches with her step-brother, for abandoning her daughter twice. She resolved that she would never do that to Katy again.

Setting her face into a determined mask, Ronnie stalked towards them, pulling the keys out of her coat pocket and handing them to Phil. Once the padlock was off, she pushed past the other two and entered the lock-up first. Katy followed and Phil pulled the door firmly closed behind them.

"_So what now?_" Phil asked gruffly after taking a look into the pit where they had bundled Carl the night before. "_Hey? You know there's only one way this can go, now, don't ya?_" Ronnie remained silent and emotionless as the man's attention flickered to the younger woman. "Katy?"

"Scrapyard." She replied simply. "Crush the bastard."

Phil looked between them for a moment and then shrugged. "If you say so."

He indicated for Ronnie to move the desk chair closer while he and Katy manhandled Carl out of the examination pit. They seated him in the chair before using duct tape to secure him there. Katy caught the expression in Phil's eyes and smirked; evidently something Ronnie had said to him on the way here had struck a chord because he looked downright murderous.

For a moment he just stood beside Katy, looking at the man who was gagged and bound and defenceless in front of them. Then he glanced at the woman beside him, who shrugged and gave an almost imperceptible nod of her head, before moving to stand by her mother, slightly to the side.

His face contorting in fury, Phil began laying into Carl with all his might, landing punch after punch on him. Every blow caused a little of the tension to leave Katy and Phil, too, seemed to be enjoying himself. He had something to prove; he needed to show Ronnie that she was wrong in her assumption that he had lost his balls. Katy was itching to throw a few punches of her own, but she didn't want to get her hands dirty.

"_Phil!_" Ronnie shrieked after a particularly violent blow.

"_What?_" He bellowed angrily. "_What, eh? What are you suggesting, eh? I mean, you dragged me into this and now you don't like the way I'm dealing with it? Eh?_" He jabbed a finger into Carl's head violently. "_Look at him. Look at him, Ronnie!_"

"_The scrapyard?_"

"_He's attacked a woman. He attacked you, didn't he?_" Phil reminded her, almost purple with rage. "_He messed with my cousin's head. He tried to muscle in on my business, ain't ya, eh?_" He chuckled darkly. "_D'you know what? If I could be bothered I'd untie your hands and let you have a fair fight, but when, Carl, eh, when d'you ever let anyone have a fair fight? Hey? Never._" Stepping back, Phil rested his hand on the tools on the surface next to him and looked at Katy. "Well? What d'you reckon?"

She looked down at Carl coldly, meeting his eyes. Then she smiled. "Do it."

He picked up a crowbar and prepared himself. "_Now this has been a long time coming… a long time coming. You put me in hospital, hey? You threatened my boy; you threaten my boy while he's banged up, you…_"

"_Phil, Phil, Phil!_" Ronnie shouted as he raised the tool above his head, ready to bring it down with all his strength on the man bound to the chair.

Katy almost screamed as her mother placed herself between the two men to prevent Phil making his move. She leapt forward, attempting to pull the blonde out of harm's way, but Ronnie stood her ground.

"_Get out of the way!_" Phil bellowed.

"_Stop it!_" Ronnie yelled back. "_What are you gonna do? You're gonna get blood on the floor. Get a grip, Phil. He's pathetic._" She turned to look down at Carl. "_You're pathetic, you know that? You got low self-esteem, have you, Carl? You've got a screwed up attitude when it comes to women. Have you got issues with your mummy, Carl?_" Seemly on the verge of angry tears, Ronnie looked at Phil again. "_What is it with you men? What is it with you men, you're all the same! You are so desperate… you're so desperate to rule the world, you've got all that aggression… you're so predictable._"

"Mum?" Katy muttered, reaching out tentatively and touching Ronnie's hand.

She didn't turn to look at her daughter, but Ronnie held her hand tightly, linking their fingers and squeezing hard. "_What d'you think, Carl? D'you want the scrapyard?_"

"Mum?" Katy repeated, uncomfortable with the silent conversation apparently going on between the blonde and the man in question.

"_No,_" Ronnie shook her head, "_I don't think so._ _I don't think so. I think that would be a waste of a perfectly good car. I think you're going to say you're sorry. And then I'm gonna untie your hands and I'm gonna walk you to the tube._"

Phil and Katy exchanged a look. "_Do me a favour?_"

"_And if you ever…_" She used her free hand to grasp his jaw so hard that Carl made a sound of discomfort. "_If you ever come to Walford again… are you listening to me, Carl? Listen very carefully. If you ever come near me or my sister _or my daughter_ again, I swear to you I won't need him. I will cut off your little boy's toys with a blunt knife and I'll wear them as earrings. OK, Carl?_" There was a pause and then she ripped off the duct tape they'd gagged him with the night before. "_Go on then, say it. Go on, say it!_"

"_I'm sorry._"

"_Good boy._"

It wasn't enough, as far as either Katy or Phil were concerned, but they watched silently as Ronnie removed the duct tape and freed Carl from the chair. Katy shook her head, folding her arms and silently signalling to Phil that she wasn't happy. He, too, looked furious with Ronnie's decision, but neither of them undermined her.

Katy felt a surge of pride in her chest as she watched her mother; calm and collected and utterly, utterly terrifying. Ronnie was exactly what Katy wanted to be. She was strong and clever and would fight to the death for those she loved. Perhaps she wasn't the kind of role model that Katy would have written about in school, that anyone would have encouraged her to idolise, but Ronnie was the young woman's role model anyway. Katy smiled, watching as the blonde glared down at Carl, her face a beautiful mask of pure ice.

They walked to the tube station in silence, Phil and Ronnie flanking Carl and Katy behind them. She scowled the entire time and, if she had been able to shoot lasers from her eyes, there would have been two perfect holes in the back of the man's head.

They stopped at the entrance to the station and watched as he walked through the barriers and up the stairs. Katy was uneasy about the whole thing. She didn't trust Carl as far as she could throw him. She still thought that he deserved much more of a punishment than he'd received. Ronnie hadn't gone soft, but her way of dealing with him wasn't as effective as the way she and Phil had settled on.

"_He won't go._" Phil told Ronnie, clearly thinking along the same lines as his step-niece.

"Phil's right, Mum." Katy agreed quietly. "He ain't just gonna give up."

"_He's going._" Ronnie told them.

"_You played me, didn't ya?_"

"_Oh, come on, Phil._" The blonde sighed. "_I didn't play you. At least we know you're not a complete eunuch. It's good to know, isn't it, at your age._"

Katy couldn't help snorting with laughter, especially when Phil fixed Ronnie with a completely unamused look. "Sorry…"

"_He won't go._" The man repeated with a shrug, ignoring their words.

"_He's already gone! Listen, what d'you want to do? D'you want to wave goodbye to him?_"

"It might be a good idea." Katy suggested, looking between them. "Just to make sure."

Ronnie rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. _Look, I'm gonna go and take care of Roxy and it's about time Amy got some attention._ You should get back to the club; you've been gone long enough." She didn't take more than a few steps before she sighted and returned to stand with them. "_Look, he's gone. Really. Oh, look. I know I may have overdone the whole good cop, bad cop routine, alright? But he's got the message. Carl White knows that if he ever steps foot back in Walford again he is a dead man walking. He ain't got the bottle._"

"_Don't ever compare me to the Old Bill again… not even as a joke._"

"_Alright…_" She chuckled. "_The lengths some blokes'll go to to get out of buying a dishwasher._"

Katy and Phil stayed at the entrance for a couple of moments as Ronnie turned and walked away. They looked at each other and then the man shrugged and followed his step-sister down the road. Katy hesitated for a few more minutes, still uneasy about the whole thing.


	20. Chapter 20

Barely twenty minutes had passed when Katy's phone began to ring. She glanced at the display and read her mother's name, before accepting the call and wedging it between her ear and her shoulder.

"What's up?"

"He's back."

Katy stopped shuffling through the papers in front of her and leant back in her seat. "What the fuck?"

"Carl. I think he's done something to Roxy."

"I'm on my way."

"I think he's going to the Arches. He mentioned taking one of Phil's cars."

Katy nodded and grabbed her jacket. "I'm on my way." She repeated, before hanging up. Poking her head round the door into the main room of the club, she spotted one of the barmaids and attracted her attention. "I've gotta pop out again. Call me if–"

"We need you." Amanda finished with a grin. "Yeah, I know."

Smiling weakly, the brunette almost ran up the steps and out into the street. She walked briskly towards the Arches and yanked the door open. Her eyes fell on Carl pressed up against her mother, kissing her. Ronnie was whimpering and evidently trying to push him away. Seeing red, Katy sprinted towards them, grabbed the first thing she could reach and brought it down, hard, on the back of Carl's head.

He stumbled, doubling over and slumping into the open boot of the car in front of him. Instinctively, Ronnie grasped the top of the boot and slammed it down onto him.

"_Bastard!_" She screamed, almost loudly enough to drown out the sickening crunch as the metal connected with his skull.

Katy allowed the axel stand she had used to hit the man drop to the ground with a loud, metallic clang. Staring at the lifeless form of the man draped over the back of the car, she took a step closer, batting Ronnie's shaking hand out of the way and checking for a pulse.

"He's dead." She announced emotionlessly.

Ronnie sobbed loudly, staring at him with tears running down her cheeks. Then she stepped forward and bundled him into the boot completely. Grabbing both mobiles and the bag containing Phil's money, she slammed the top down and stared at the car for a moment.

"What are we going to do?" She asked.

"We get rid." Katy told her bluntly.

Taking several shallow, steadying breaths, the blonde nodded. "We get rid."

Katy bent and picked up the axel stand once more, examining it closely. Frowning as she spotted a smear of blood on it, she crossed to the shelves and searched through them until she found some turps and a bit of rag. Soaking the fabric in the liquid, she cleaned the apparatus quickly and replaced it where she'd found it.

Dropping the rag into an empty bucket, she pulled her lighter out of her pocket, set fire to a scrap of paper and dropped it in after the rag. There was a whoosh as it went up in flames, removing all evidence that it had ever been there. Once she was sure it was completely gone, Katy tipped water into the bucket and made sure the fire was out.

"Come on." She muttered, taking the bag out of Ronnie's hands. "Let's get this back."

Ronnie seemed in a daze as they headed back through the Square to the house which was, mercifully, empty when they returned. Katy washed her hands thoroughly in the kitchen sink; sniffing them until she was satisfied she could no longer smell the turpentine on them. Then she turned to her mother, who was staring at the cracked screen of Carl's blood-stained mobile that was sitting in her equally blood-stained hands.

"Put that down and wash your hands." Katy urged her gently. When Ronnie didn't move, she gingerly used her thumb and forefinger to take the device from her and put it down on top of Phil's bag, before propelling the blonde to the sink and holding her hands until the flow of water. "Come on, Mum, please."

At last Ronnie started to respond and the brunette let out a sigh of relief. She watched as Ronnie washed her hands carefully, using far more soap than was necessary. At least she was doing something useful.

"We need to find Roxy."

"We should see if she's at Carl's flat."

Katy nodded and then jumped as something tugged at the bottom of her top. She looked down and saw the trusting smile of her cousin beaming up at her. With a warm smile, Katy scooped Amy up and hugged her tightly.

"Where's Mummy?"

"Let's go and find her, shall we?" Katy suggested, tapping the little girl on the nose.

Amy nodded and squirmed until her cousin put her down, running into the living room to get her coat. Looking at her mother quickly, Katy followed, grabbing her jacket off the hooks and taking a firm hold of Amy's hand. Ronnie hesitated, but then followed the pair out of the house and along the street towards Carl's flat.

Letting them in, Ronnie stood back as Katy and Amy went in first. Both women were terrified about what they might find waiting for them inside. When Katy stopped in the doorway that led to the kitchen and lounge, Ronnie laid a hand gently on her waist for a moment before raising it to stroke through her hair reassuringly.

"_Amy… why don't you go and wash your hands for me in the bathroom, OK?_" She suggested softly, pressing a kiss to her niece's head.

When Amy had scampered off to do as she was told, Ronnie looked at Katy, as though she was steeling herself to prepare for the worst. Taking a couple of shallow breaths, she moved her gaze onto the sofa where one pale hand was just visible hanging off the seat. Moving further into the room, more of Roxy came into sight. Katy hoped beyond hope that she was asleep, although she was terrified to realise she couldn't see any sign that her aunt was breathing.

They both froze, staring at the figure. Before either could say anything or move to stop her, Amy ran past them and made straight for her mother's body. She reached out and prodded Roxy in the forehead, calling to her quietly as she did so.

Roxy jerked as she woke up and, behind her, both women let out a long, low breath. As the younger blonde gathered her daughter in her arms, Ronnie slipped her hand into Katy's and indicated that they should leave quickly, without disturbing the pair.

Outside, Katy shivered violently. "I thought…"

"I know, so did I." Ronnie agreed. Then she hardened her expression. "We need to take that car to the scrapyard."

Her daughter nodded, forcing herself to move past her fears about Roxy's mortality and get her head back where it needed to be. She glanced at her watch and then at her phone, wondering how things were going at the club without her there. This was more important, though, so she pushed work to the back of her mind and walked across to the Arches with Ronnie.

They got the keys to the car and set off to a scrapyard they didn't normally use. It was at moments like this where Katy was glad she'd learnt to drive. They had taken Phil's car as well as the one they needed to get rid of so they wouldn't need to get a taxi home.

Just before they arrived, Ronnie pulled into a layby and Katy followed, wondering what was happening. She watched through the back window as her mother leant her head back against the headrest. Katy exhaled deeply and squeezed her eyes closed. She was about to get out of Ronnie's car and go and find out was wrong, when the sound of a siren blaring in the distance caught her attention. Looking to her mother anxiously, her eyes opening almost comically widely as the siren got louder, Katy caught Ronnie's eye in the rear-view mirror.

Almost unconsciously they sank down slightly in their seats as the police car passed. When they were sure they were in the clear, both women sighed deeply and straightened. Ronnie shook her head slowly and then started the engine, pulling back onto the road and resuming their journey, Katy keeping close on her tail.

They parked up in the yard, Katy near the entrance and Ronnie in front of the crane that would be used to do the deed. Katy leant against the silver car nonchalantly as her mother spoke to the attendant. She laughed and smiled and flicked her hair, turning on her charm in a way that Ronnie was all too experienced at. Katy hated that her mother used her looks in that way, but she knew very well that she did it as well, so couldn't say anything. Sometimes you had to work with what you had.

"It's done." Ronnie said calmly, walking over to where her daughter was lounging against the car.

"We'd better get the jump leads out of the boot." Katy said, just as calmly, moving round to do just that. "Phil won't be happy if we leave them in there."

Reaching the younger Mitchell's side as she opened the boot, Ronnie laid her hand on Katy's arm to stop her reaching for the cables. "I'll do it."

Katy nodded. But then she saw how pale Ronnie looked at the thought of getting so close to the body and shook her head. "No, I'll do it."

Her hand brushed Carl's leg as she reached for the jump leads. Her stomach churned at the contact, but she closed her eyes for a second, before whipping her hand and the cables out. As soon as she was clear, Ronnie slammed the boot down. She sent a final, disgusted look at the silver metal that hid their crime from their eyes, before reaching for Katy's hand and pulling her away.

No sooner had they retreated to a safe distance than the long, garishly orange arm of the crane that would lift the car into the crusher swung round and got into position. They stood and watched as it lowered quickly and the sharp, pointed claws of the machine smashed the windows and gripped the vehicle firmly. Ronnie let out a strangled gasp and Katy moved closer, resting her chin on her mother's shoulder.

They watched as the car was lifted high into the air and swung around, clipping another in the process, before it was lowered into the crusher. It landed with a loud clang and Ronnie swallowed thickly. Katy briefly wondered why she felt nothing at all, watching as the sides closed in and, with a screeching, crunching, whining smash, the machine reduced the car to an almost flat version of itself.

It was removed from the crusher and lifted high onto the pile of other crushed cars in the yard. Katy exhaled in relief and turned, trying to tug her mother with her, but Ronnie stayed rooted to the spot. Then, with a blank expression on her face, Ronnie nodded and started walking towards the gates that led out of the scrap yard.


	21. Chapter 21

"It's over, Mum." Katy muttered, tightening her grip on the blonde's hand as she realised that she was shaking violently.

"Don't speak too soon." Ronnie warned, getting into the driver's seat. "The sooner we get to Ibiza the better. We can make our flights tonight easily. I arranged a car from the airport earlier."

A thousand thoughts entered the younger woman's head at once. She waited while Ronnie drove out of the yard and started down the road before voicing her worries. "Mum… I need more time than a couple of hours to sort stuff out! What about the club?"

"Sharon can hold the fort for a while. She's expecting to, anyway; I put our holiday in the club diary before Christmas. Sweetie, I can't be around if they find out Carl's missing."

"Did you plan this?"

Ronnie shook her head. "Of course not. It just… it's good timing." She snorted. "Good timing… but we can't be here if they find him."

"Even if they do find him… even if they work it out… they can't prove which of us killed him. Even we don't know which of us it was. It could have been me with the axel stand or you with the car boot."

"All the more reason to get away." Ronnie told her firmly. "I'm not having you getting dragged into this. If they start digging who knows what they'll find; they might start snooping around Ruby's dad. If they get that on you, then they're going to start asking questions about that old lady who died just before you came to Walford. They might even start looking at Heather's murder again." A tear trickled down her cheek. "Katy… if they pin four murders on you… you won't get out, not for years. Ruby will be all grown up with a family of her own. I won't let that happen."

"Nathan's been dead nearly two years. Mrs Wilson's been dead almost four. Ben confessed to killing Heather and no one knows I was there. What are they going to be able to prove?"

Ronnie shot her a look, her grip on the steering wheel tightening. "Mrs Wilson… you didn't…?"

Katy scowled at her. "What? No! No, of course not! Who do you think I am? I don't go around bludgeoning defenceless old ladies to death!" She shook her head and sighed, slumping in her seat. "Nathan did it. They were looking for me… I had something of theirs. When she wouldn't tell them where I was, they attacked her. The whole thing… trying, badly, to frame me for the murder… fencing the stuff I nicked to help pay for your wedding… pretending to be my mate… letting me stay with him and then… it was all a big plan to get me back for what I took."

"What did you take?" Clearly Ronnie was wondering what on earth her daughter could have stolen from them to warrant all that revenge.

The young woman laughed darkly. "A measly fucking hundred quid."

They lapsed into silence, each caught up in their own thoughts. Neither had spoken again by the time they reached Albert Square. Ronnie parked up outside Phil's house and they climbed out wordlessly.

"Carol's got Ruby." The blonde said quietly, reaching for her daughter and pulling her into her arms. She pressed a kiss to her temple before releasing her. "You go and get her while I go and see Roxy. Then we'll pack our things and get out of here, OK?"

Katy nodded and headed, almost like a zombie, through the gardens and up to the door of the Butchers' house. She knocked, waiting for someone to answer. Tiffany appeared after a couple of moments and grinned up at the young woman, before stepping aside and letting her in.

The small girl chattered constantly as Katy gathered up her daughter's things and bundled her into her coat. She shouldered Ruby's backpack and thanked Carol for watching her. The blonde didn't seem surprise when Katy casually mentioned they were going on holiday, telling her that Ronnie had mentioned it a couple of days ago.

Wishing her a safe trip, Carol watched as Katy carried her daughter out onto the street and then closed the door. The sound it made was filled with a strange finality, but Katy shook her head and dismissed the thought. She hurried home, where she found Ronnie hurriedly throwing things into a bag, while Roxy and Amy watched.

Copying her mother and packing the essentials for her and Ruby, Katy was soon ready to leave and the five of them made their way downstairs. They were travelling light, only taking what they really needed, deciding they could buy anything else they wanted while they were in Ibiza.

"_Ron…_" Roxy started as they put their cases into the back of the seven-seater cab Ronnie had called. "_You know I lied to you about Carl this morning, don't you?_"

Katy stared blankly between them, having no idea what her aunt was talking about. Her blood seemed to freeze in her veins as she wondered whether Ronnie had told Roxy what had happened. It wasn't that she didn't trust the younger of the Mitchell sisters, because she truly did, but she also knew what Roxy was like.

Catching sight of her mother's expression, Katy was filled with dread. "_Roxy…_"

"_Yeah?_"

"Mum." The brunette said warningly, looking up from securing Ruby into the car seat.

Ronnie shook her head ever so slightly, as though coming out of a daze. "_Nothing. I'm just… I'm really pleased that you're coming with us._"

"_I haven't seen him since last night. We fell out and… I think he's gone to Paris without me._" Roxy admitted. Her words filled Katy with a sense of relief. If people thought Carl was in France that would buy them some time if the worst came to the worst. "_Another one bites the dust, eh?_" Slamming the boot, Ronnie followed her sister's gaze to the pub that had once been their home. "_Ronnie, look, I wasn't… I wasn't trying to hack you off or anything; I just don't see what's wrong with having a little bit of fun. I really wanted Alfie to love me…_"

"_Listen to me._" Her older sister urged softly as she started to cry. "_You've already got someone who loves you. She's sitting in the back of that car and she's gorgeous and little and she's worth giving up your life for._" Ronnie met Katy's eyes. "And I've got the same… except she's not so little anymore. Don't miss out like I did."

"_I know._" Roxy nodded, reaching out and linking her fingers with Katy's. "_I know; you're right._"

"_So? Shut your fat face then._" The blonde teased, lightening the mood and smiling between her sister and her daughter. "_I'm not gonna pay for us to sit by a private pool in Cala Llonga, while you start whinging._"

Catching sight of something on Ronnie's hand, Roxy frowned in confusion and lifted the limb to look more closely. "_You've got it on._" She said softly, causing Katy to peer round her to see what she was talking about. "_It's Dad's ring. I thought you were going to bin it? When did you put this on?_"

"_Just now. It's just a ring. I think it suits me._"

Katy looked at her carefully, reading more into her mother's last sentence than just a comment about the aesthetic appeal of the ring. She frowned as Ronnie met her eyes without a single flicker of emotion. Normally her varied emotions were fighting for dominance in her when she just thought about Archie. But there was nothing and that worried her daughter.

"_Send us a postcard._" Phil broke the silence, poking his head out of the back gate.

"_Phil, I'll see you later._" Roxy called, smiling at him and returning a smile in return.

"Laters, homeboy." Katy said, waving a hand over her head and clambering into the back with their luggage. She hesitated in shutting the door, watching the slightly tense interaction between Ronnie and Phil.

"_Emails are quicker, you know?_" The blonde said, looking at her cousin carefully.

He nodded. "_Depends when you're back, don't it?_"

It was then that Katy realised she didn't know how long they were actually going for. Ronnie had never said when they were coming back. The air of finality that accompanied the way the blonde was surveying the Square before she got into the cab sent a spark of worry through her daughter.

"_I think you're gonna have to put your foot down._" She told the cab driver, climbing in between Amy and Ruby's car seats.

The sound of police car sirens filled Katy's head just before Ronnie leant across and slammed the door. But then the cab driver started the engine and they were moving. She relaxed, leaning back in her seat and thinking of beaches and cocktails by a pool.


	22. Chapter 22

**Katy Mitchell** – IBIZA with **Ronnie Elizabeth Mitchell** and **Roxanne Mitchell**! It might not be boiling, but I bet the weather here's better than back in the UK! ;)

**Ronnie Elizabeth Mitchell, Whit Dean, Dex Hartman, Lauren Branning, Darren Miller, Peter Beale, Jay Mitchell, Poppy 'Pops' Meadow, Lola Pearce, Bianca Jackson Roxanne Mitchell, Abi Branning, Arthur 'Fat Boy' Chubb,** **Liam Butcher** _and_ **Tina Carter** _like this_

_View all comments_

**Whit Dean** – The weather here is GRIM. Tiff says hi!

**Lauren Branning** – Jealous.

**Jay Mitchell** – When are you back? Hope you're having a fab time!

* * *

><p>From: <strong>Lauren Branning<strong> lolbran93  
>To: <strong>Katy Mitchell<strong> katy.m.m .uk  
>Subject: Jake<br>Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2014 20:46:57 +0000

Katy… I know you're on holiday and I'm sorry for dumping this on you, but… I don't know who else to talk to. I tried to speak to Whit, but she's got some family stuff going on and she didn't have time to deal with my shit as well.

I should have told you before you left but… it was a secret. I never told no one.

I'm just like my dad.

I'm seeing Jake. Or, actually, I was.

But then Carol found a pregnancy test in their bathroom and she told my dad and he automatically assumed it must be mine. He went round to Jake's and kicked off, telling him I was pregnant. I tried telling them that it wasn't true – I'm **not** pregnant.

But Sadie heard everything.

I don't know what to do, Katy. I don't want to be the person who splits up other people's marriages and forces people's parents apart. I don't want to do to Bella what my dad did to me.

Please tell me what to do.

Please, Katy.

Lauren x

* * *

><p><strong>Lauren Branning<strong> – SHIT.

**Abi Branning** _likes this_

**Tanya Cross** – What's happened babe? Ring me?

**Lauren Branning** - Thanks for the support, **Abi**. Just what I needed...

* * *

><p>From: <strong>Whitney Dean<strong> whit.d .uk  
>To: <strong>Katy Mitchell<strong> katy.m.m .uk  
>Subject: I need you.<br>Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2014 23:02:34 +0000

Carol has cancer.

**Carol** has **cancer**.

I don't know how to process that information.

B told me earlier and I haven't been able to think about anything else. Lauren rang me about something but I just told her I couldn't deal with her drama. I feel bad, but… **Carol**.

She'd probably kill me for telling you, but I needed to. She wouldn't want you to worry, to think about her and her problems while you're on holiday. I'm sorry for telling you while you're away, but I thought you'd want to know.

I hope you're having a great time. Give my love to Rubes and the others.

Whit xox

* * *

><p>From: <strong>Lauren Branning<strong> lolbran93  
>To: <strong>Katy Mitchell<strong> katy.m.m .uk  
>Subject: When are you coming home?<br>Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2014 11:15:22 +0000

OK, so… you haven't replied to my last email, so I'm guessing you haven't been online. Your Facebook hasn't been updated, anyway, so I didn't think you had.

When are you coming home, K? I really, **really** need you here.

Jake went crazy after Sadie found out about us. He tried to kidnap me and everything… I… it was so scary. I swear I'm off men.

But seriously, when are you coming home?

I miss you.

Lauren x

* * *

><p>From: <strong>Lauren Branning<strong> lolbran93  
>To: <strong>Katy Mitchell<strong> katy.m.m .uk  
>Subject: KATY!<br>Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 15:56:19 +0000

When the hell are you coming home?!

Lauren x

* * *

><p><strong>Lauren Branning<strong> – Has **Katy Mitchell** disappeared off the face of the earth?!

**Lola Pearce**, **Abi Branning**, **Whit Dean**, **Jay Mitchell**, **Dex Hartman** _and_ **Peter Beale** _like this_

**Whit Dean** – She must have… I think this is the longest she's ever gone without updating her Facebook…

**Lauren Branning**, **Liam Butcher** _and_ **Lola Pearce** _like this_

**Lola Pearce** – Has anyone heard when they're coming home?

**Whit Dean** – Nope.

**Lauren Branning** – It can't be too much longer, right? It's already been like a month…

**Lola Pearce** _and_ **Whit Dean** _like this_

* * *

><p>From: <strong>Whitney Dean<strong> whit.d .uk  
>To: <strong>Katy Mitchell<strong> katy.m.m .uk  
>Subject: :)<br>Date: Thurs, 30 Jan 2014 10:18:16 +0000

Lauren said you haven't replied to her either, so I'm not taking your lack of reply personally.

It's kinda weird it's been so long since you updated your Facebook too.

Are you coming home soon or not? No one seems to know. We miss you.

Whit xox

* * *

><p>From: <strong>Whitney Dean<strong> whit.d .uk  
>To: <strong>Katy Mitchell<strong> katy.m.m .uk  
>Subject: I need you.<br>Date: Tues, 4 Feb 2014 01:11:29 +0000

David proposed to Carol over the karaoke machine in the Vic. She said **no**!

Seriously, babe, you're missing out on all the drama!

Give Ruby a cuddle from me. Tiff says she misses you.

Whit xox

* * *

><p><strong>Whit Dean<strong> – Thanks a lot, **Johnny Carter**. I owe you…

**Tina Carter**, **Liam Butcher**, **Nancy Carter** _and_ **Bianca Jackson** _like this_

**Johnny Carter** – I AM sorry…

**Nancy Carter** _and_ **Bianca Jackson** _like this_

* * *

><p>From: <strong>Whitney Dean<strong> whit.d .uk  
>To: <strong>Katy Mitchell<strong> katy.m.m .uk  
>Subject: OMG.<br>Date: Thurs, 6 Feb 2014 22:20:48 +0000

I am so embarrassed, babe.

Johnny – you'll love him when you **FINALLY** meet him – invited me over for dinner with his mum tonight. Bianca told her me and Johnny slept together and Linda got all excited because Johnny's gay and she wasn't thrilled when he told her.

But then Johnny told her that I was pregnant and we were gonna get married, just to wind her up. It was so embarrassing. I nearly died.

It was worse because he was making out that being married to me would be totally horrible. I'm not that bad, am I?

I wish you were here…

Whit xox

* * *

><p>From: <strong>Whitney Dean<strong> whit.d .uk  
>To: <strong>Katy Mitchell<strong> katy.m.m .uk  
>Subject: OMG x2<br>Date: Thurs, 6 Feb 2014 22:25:34 +0000

I should probably have told you that Johnny is Shirley's nephew. Her brother and his family were the ones who bought the Vic off Phil. Or were you still here then? It's so long ago I can't remember.

COME HOME.

Whit xox

* * *

><p>Whit Dean – WHERE THE HELL IS <strong>Katy Mitchell<strong>?!

**Tina Carter**, **Lauren Branning**, **Lola Pearce**, **Abi Branning**, **Dex Hartman**, **Bianca Jackson**, **Arthur 'Fat Boy' Chubb**, **Liam Butcher**, **Jay Mitchell** _and_ **Peter Beale** _like this_

**TJ Spraggan** – Maybe she just doesn't like you.

**Liam Butcher**, **Peter Beale**, **Dex Hartman** _and_ **Lucy Beale** _like this_

**Whit Dean** – Shut up **TJ**.

**Lauren Branning**, **Lola Pearce** _and_ **Abi Branning** _like this_

* * *

><p>From: <strong>Sharon Rickman<strong> sharonrickman  
>To: <strong>Katy Mitchell<strong> katy.m.m .uk  
>Subject: RE: Staff Rotas<br>Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2014 09:49:14 +0000

Katy,

When are you and Ronnie planning on returning to work at the R&R?

I'm assuming that you are intending to keep your jobs here when you come back to Walford, so I'd appreciate being kept informed of when you plan to return.

Sharon.

* * *

><p>From: <strong>Lauren Branning<strong> lolbran93  
>To: <strong>Katy Mitchell<strong> katy.m.m .uk  
>Subject: LOVE LOVE LOVE<br>Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2014 18:05:47 +0000

Happy Valentine's Day, babe.

We miss you.

Lauren x

* * *

><p>From: <strong>Whitney Dean<strong> whit.d .uk  
>To: <strong>Katy Mitchell<strong> katy.m.m .uk  
>Subject: 3<br>Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2014 20:29:28 +0000

HAPPY VALENTINE'S!

LOVE YOU!

Whit xox

* * *

><p>From: <strong>Tina Carter<strong> fluorescenttutu  
>To: <strong>Katy Mitchell<strong> katy.m.m .uk  
>Subject:<br>Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2014 12:33:09 +0000

Hey kiddo!

Shirley wants you and Ronnie to come home and get the bimbo Barbie under control.

Did you know that her and Phil are planning on opening a bar on the Square?

Anyway, Shirl says hurry up and get your arse back home.

Love ya, Tina xx

* * *

><p>Katy winced at the computer screen as she opened her email inbox and her Facebook page. She had avoided all forms of communication in the almost two months since they had left the Square and headed to Ibiza. Now, though, she had a pang of homesickness that made her almost desperate to return home.<p>

Logging out of her accounts, the young woman went in search of her mother and aunt, finding them in the kitchen of the apartment they were renting from a friend of Ronnie's at a very reasonable rate. In fact, they were barely paying anything for use of the accommodation.

"Hey." She smiled at the Spanish man who was sitting at the breakfast bar with the two women. "¿Cómo está Carlos?"

"Bien, gracias bella." Carlos replied with a toothy grin.

Nodding, Katy refocused her attention on the women. "I was thinking… I should get back to Walford."

"What?" Roxy wrinkled her nose. "Why?"

"The R&R for a start… who knows what Sharon's doing while we're away!" The young woman said with a shrug. "And it sounds like there's drama going on with Lauren and Whit. Anyway, Ruby should get back to her routine. Amy too… she really needs to go back to school…"

"I can't go back!" The blonde exclaimed. "I need to be around to sort contracts and premises and stuff!"

Barely holding back an eye roll at the mention of the bar Ronnie and Roxy were eager to open near the apartment complex they were living in, the younger woman shrugged. "Why doesn't she come back with me while you get stuff sorted?" She suggested. "I mean, then you and Mum can concentrate on the business and we'll come back when things are settled."

Roxy didn't look convinced by the idea, but Ronnie seemed to think it was a good plan. "It makes sense, Rox." She said gently. "Amy really should be in school… If this doesn't work out and we go back to the UK you don't want her to be really behind, do you?"

"I guess not." Roxy huffed, feeling as though she was being ganged up on. Then she threw her hands up in the air. "Fine! But I want to Skype every single day, no excuses, alright?"

"Deal." Katy agreed with a grin. Then she turned sombre. "I'll look after her, I promise."

"I know, babe. I know."


	23. Chapter 23

**_A/N: I am so sorry this has been so delayed. Things have been pretty epic with work - even during the Easter Holidays! People might think teachers have a cushy job... they're so wrong! Don't get me started on how much stress/pressure I'm under at the moment!_**

**_Anyway, hope you enjoy this! Fingers crossed the next chapter won't be too long coming!_**

* * *

><p>Ronnie had been in touch with Billy and, through Butcher's Joints just before it closed down, she arranged for them to rent Katy a flat when she returned to Walford. The idea of moving back in with Phil, especially with Sharon living there too, after the events that had led to them leaving the UK was not one that Katy or her mother relished. Moving to a flat of their own seemed a much better plan.<p>

By the time they'd flown into London and made their way back to Albert Square, it was all Katy could do to retrieve the keys to their new home from Billy before she collapsed from exhaustion. Her cousin and his granddaughter bombarded them with questions, but Katy was too tired to answer with much coherency. Instead she accepted their offer to help her take their luggage and the two little girls over to the flat, promising to talk to them properly the next day.

Luckily, neither Amy nor Ruby stirred until the next morning and so Katy was able to have a good night's sleep. It was almost lunchtime when she woke, jerking into a seated position and running a hand through her hair agitatedly as she looked around. Throwing back the covers, she climbed out of bed and hurried into the bedroom Ruby and Amy were sharing. Leaning in the doorway, Katy was relieved to see both girls still fast asleep in their beds.

Much more relaxed, the twenty-one-year-old padded back along the corridor and into the tiny kitchen. She hunted through the cupboard until she found a jar of coffee and a mug, thankful that Billy – or more likely Lola – had thought to get them the essentials before they arrived. She made a mental note to pay them back, knowing they were always short of money, before the kettle boiled and she made herself a drink.

"Katy?"

"Hey, sweetie." The young woman smiled and set down her mug as her cousin wrapped her arms around her waist and blinked up at her sleepily. "Did I wake you up?"

Amy shook her head and yawned. "No… I'm hungry."

"Toast?" Katy suggested, lifting the tiny blonde to sit on the counter beside her. "We can go to the café for lunch when Ruby wakes up, OK?"

"OK." Amy agreed easily. She kicked her legs backwards and forwards, banging the cupboard doors in the process. "Do I have to go to school tomorrow?"

Her cousin nodded. "Uh-huh."

"Ohhhh…"

"Your Mummy said so, OK?"

"But Mummy's not here. Her and Auntie Ronnie won't know…"

The young woman laughed, buttering her cousin's toast quickly. "You're going to school, Ruby's going to nursery and I'm going to work."

"It's not fair."

"It is."

"Not."

"Is." Katy grinned, prodding the five-year-old's nose before swinging her down off the counter and putting her toast in front of her at the table. "Now eat up while I go and wake Ruby, OK, babe?"

With a dramatic sigh and eye-roll that was all Roxy, Amy flopped into the wooden chair and the table and took a savage bite out of her toast. Katy laughed as she disappeared along the corridor to wake and dress her daughter, ready to take her cousin out for the promised lunch at the café.

By the time they arrived, Katy was beyond irritated. Amy had thrown a tantrum when Katy had reminded her that it was winter and cold and she needed to wear a coat. It hadn't been warm in Ibiza, but it had definitely been warmer than here. Amy, proving that she was as much of a diva as her mother, refused to leave the flat until Katy agreed to let her wear her sunglasses.

"You're back!" Lauren exclaimed as the trio entered the building and approached the counter. She jumped to her feet and drew her best friend into a tight hug. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"We flew in late last night." Katy told her with a warm smile. "Sorry."

"You've missed so much, but," she glanced meaningfully at Amy and Ruby, "I'll tell you later."

"Yeah… I'm playing Mummy to both of them for a while. Mum and Rox are still in Ibiza."

"Why?"

Katy quickly placed their order with Tina, pausing to chat to her for a couple of minutes, before leading the way to a table and settling the two little girls down so she could carry on her conversation. Amy and Ruby immediately became engrossed in their colouring books; the older girl sighing irritably as her younger cousin scribbled happily all over the page.

"They're thinking about buying a bar over there… a fresh start and all that."

"What?"

"I get it." Katy told her with a shrug. "I mean… how much crap have we all been through here?" Then she breathed out heavily. "But this is home. If they do buy something then I'll move; of course I will. But I kinda hope they don't."

"Do you think they will?"

"I honestly don't know. It could go either way. I mean, they're seriously looking at places, but they're both coming up with reasons not to move."

Lauren shifted in her seat, shaking her head. "Did you get our emails?"

Katy nodded. "Yeah, sorry…"

"So you know about… everything?"

"Your… problem?"

"Yeah."

The older girl smiled weakly. "You know how to pick 'em, don't you, babe?"

"Like you can talk." Lauren retorted immediately.

For a second Katy froze, worried that her friend had discovered her affair with Max. But then she relaxed, realising that Lauren would have just come out and yelled at her. In fact, she would probably have punched her if she knew about it.

"Yeah, well…"

"We're having a roast tonight, why don't you all come round?" Lauren suggested.

"Oh, no… we couldn't…" Katy refused at once, thinking about how awkward sitting around a dining table with Max and his daughters would be; even if those daughters were her friends. "I don't want to intrude."

"Oh, shut up!" The younger girl laughed. "You're family, ain't ya? We're cousins 'cos of Uncle Jack."

Katy barely managed to stop herself pulling a face. "Yeah, right… but I…"

"Whatever, be at ours at six." Lauren ordered, standing up and heading towards the door, passing Tina who was approaching with their lunch. "Nan'll complain if you're late."

As she disappeared, Katy groaned and pulled out her mobile. She quickly composed a warning text to Max, letting him know what his older daughter had arranged. A reply came back almost immediately, requesting that she met him at the car lot.

Chewing on her lip and wondering what to do, Katy decided to ask Carol whether she'd watch the girls for an hour or so. Then she remembered what Whitney had told her and changed her mind. She felt bad using the woman like that when she had just been diagnosed with cancer.

A loud clattering sound drew her attention and Katy glanced up to see Lola struggling with Lexi's pram. Getting up to help, an idea struck her and she grinned. Once her cousin was settled at the spare seat at their table, Katy asked whether Lola would watch Ruby and Amy for a while, while she went to sort some things out.

"Course I will!" The blonde agreed at once, beaming at the little girls.

"Here…" Katy pushed a couple of notes into her hand. When it looked as though Lola was going to hand it back, Katy hid her hands behind her and smirked. "Hey! I owed you for the bread and milk and stuff, anyway. Besides, you're doing me a massive favour."

"If you insist…"

"I do." The older Mitchell assured her with a grin. "I'll text you when I'm done."

Shooting them a final smile, Katy hurried out of the café and towards the car lot. She looked around surreptitiously before ducking behind one of the motors and making her way to the back of the office and letting herself in. With a grin, she locked the door behind her and made her way towards Max, who was lounging in his desk chair, smirking at her.

Settling herself in his lap, she bent to kiss him, before pulling away and arching an eyebrow. "Miss me?"

"Maybe… just a little bit…"

Katy frowned lightly, realising that Max seemed to be holding something back. She tilted her head, her eyes running over his face to try and work out what the problem was. "I didn't meet any fit Spanish guys you'll have to fight, or anything." She joked, trying to lighten the atmosphere a little.

"Sorry… I just…"

"What is it?" The young woman demanded, her arms dropping from around his neck as she leant away from him. "Are… are you ending it?" Her eyes hardened. "Like I said when we started this, I don't want anything serious…"

Max shook his head. "Nah, it's… you'll get hurt, alright. It's better if we stop this before that happens."

"I'm a big girl, Max."

"It ain't just about you, alright, Katy."

She frowned. "What… are you saying you'll get hurt? Are you… what? Falling in love with me?"

"Don't be stupid, babe, of course I'm not." He snapped, as though the idea was laughable.

His reaction caused a massive dent in Katy's emotional armour and, in less than a second, her defences rose and she stalked towards the door. Furiously, she rounded on him, her eyes narrowing. She might not have wanted anything serious from her fling with Max, but the implication that falling in love with her was such a ridiculous notion sent fire coursing through her veins.

"This is so over." She growled. "Don't even think about coming crawling to me when you're lonely or whatever… I'm not interested."


	24. Chapter 24

Katy sent Lauren a text later that afternoon, informing her that they wouldn't be able to make dinner because Ruby had come down with a temperature and Amy wasn't feeling very well either. She felt a little guilty depriving the girls of a roast dinner and serving them beans on toast instead, but she was too humiliated to face Max so soon.

It wasn't as though she was in love with him or anything, but his implication that she was unlovable – that the idea of falling in love with her was stupid – hit something inside her that she struggled to bury. It was the same part of her that still panicked when she remembered that Ronnie was so far away. It was the part of her that was scared that she would end up alone.

The next morning, she took a complaining Amy to school, staring emotionlessly at her teacher as she almost lectured the young woman on her cousin missing so much school. When she asked whether she could speak to Roxy, Katy replied that she could if she didn't mind phoning Spain. The Reception teacher scowled at her, but nodded curtly and said goodbye, leaving Katy free to take Ruby to nursery before returning to the Square and making her way to the club.

"So you are back, then?" Sharon asked as the young woman strolled into the office and dumped her bag on the sofa before collapsing beside it. "Billy said you were back, but I wasn't sure."

"Yeah, I'm back."

"Ronnie? Roxy?"

Katy didn't like the expression on the blonde's face as she said her mother's name and narrowed her eyes. "They're sorting some business in Ibiza. They'll be back at some point."

"What kind of business?"

"None of yours." Katy snapped.

Sharon sniffed disdainfully, turning back to her paperwork. "You can supervise the bar staff."

"Thank you." The brunette replied sarcastically, making her way into the main room and leaning heavily on the bar. She took a deep breath, before pulling herself together and getting on with her job.

Several hours later, her mobile started ringing and Katy answered without looking at the display. She frowned as Lauren, obviously crying, said something that she couldn't understand and she asked her friend to repeat her words. Again, it was undistinguishable, so Katy told her that she'd be there in a couple of minutes and hung up.

Sharon was less than happy that the young woman was leaving, but Katy told her she could count it as her break, before hurrying away to find out what was wrong with Lauren. She passed Cora and Patrick in the gardens. Neither acknowledged her, apparently wrapped up in their own conversation.

"Stacey's here… she's back…" Lauren gushed as soon as she let Katy in and closed the front door behind her. "She's come back and I saw her the other day at the Vic and then I thought she was leaving but then I saw her just now in Dot's house."

"What?" The older girl frowned, trying to get her head around what she was hearing. "Stacey… as in your sister-in-law, Stacey? As in… the woman who murdered my… who murdered Archie?"

Lauren froze, looking like a rabbit caught in headlights, as she realised just who she was talking to. "Oh… shit. Oh god… Katy, please don't…"

"Don't what?"

"Please don't tell anyone she's here." Lauren pleaded. "It's all my fault… everything… all of it. I ruined her life… Lily… Bradley's daughter… please don't tell anyone she's here, Katy. If she's arrested… think about Lily."

Katy thought for a moment. She remembered that, if anyone found out the truth about Carl's disappearance, she would be in exactly the same position as Stacey was now. The idea of someone taking her away from Ruby was so painful it made her feel physically sick. The last time someone had tried to separate her from her daughter she had resorted to desperate measures to get rid of them.

With a nod, she agreed to keep her silence. "She probably did us a favour, getting rid of Archie."

Lauren rubbed her eyes with the heels of her palms and sniffed. "You promise you won't tell anyone?"

"I promise." Katy agreed more gently, leading her friend into the kitchen and flicking the switch on the kettle. "But how can you be sure no one else will spot her? Maybe someone who won't be as forgiving?"

"Nan threatened to call the police…"

"What?"

"Her and Patrick walked in while I was talking to Stacey at Dot's. Nan was angry cos of her and Dad… Me and Patrick managed to talk her out of calling them, but…"

"She can't stay here…"

Lauren nodded. "I know; I told her she needed to leave…"

"D'you think she will?

"Who knows… she wanted to be around her family. Kat and Alfie are here, so…"

Katy scowled at the mention of the Moons, still furious at their treatment of her aunt. "She'd be stupid to stay… it's way too dangerous."

"But Janine's banged up now… surely they can't–?"

"Lauren! They have a warrant out for Stacey's arrest!" Katy reminded her. "Three years is nothing! If they catch her, they'll send her down no question."

"**If** they catch her."

The older girl scoffed. "They will catch her, Lo. If no one else sees her and calls the cops then my Mum or Rox will… probably Rox because, let's face it, she's still in denial about how much of an asshole Archie was."

"Just… please don't mention it to them."

"I won't." Katy promised her with a deep sigh. She glanced at the time and smiled weakly. "Look, babe, I've gotta get back to the club… I won't say nothing but… I think it would be better for Stacey if she didn't stick around."

On that note, Katy left and went back to the club. She pointedly ignored Sharon's catty remarks and counting down the time until she had to pick Amy up from school and Ruby up from nursery.

It wasn't until she and her five-year-old cousin were making their way towards the nursery that something hit Katy like a tonne of bricks. What if Max knew Stacey was back? What if he knew and that was why he had ended things with her? The thought of being passed over for the woman who had murdered her grandfather made her so angry that her stomach hurt.

"Katy?" Amy asked, wincing as the young woman's grip tightened painfully on her small hand. "Are you sad?"

"Hmm?"

"You're hurting me."

With a frown, Katy let go of Amy's hand and swung her up onto her hip, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'm sorry."

"It's OK. Why are you sad? Do you miss Mummy and Aunty Ronnie?"

Katy chuckled. "Yeah… yeah I do. A lot."

"Are they coming home, soon?"

"I hope so, sweet pea." The young woman let out a long sigh and shook her head to get rid of all the negative thoughts swimming around inside her brain. "So, what did you do at school today?"

"We did snums."

"Snums?"

Amy looked at her cousin as though she was stupid. "Yeah, snums. Five and one makes six. Those kind of snums. Snums with attraction."

Katy had to fight back a laugh at the adorable mispronunciation of words the little girl had come out with. "Well, that is definitely one attractive snum."

"I know. And Ella brought in a mermaid Barbie for show and tell, but Cody said it looked like a mewtent."

"A mutant?"

"Yeah, because it had bright red hair and there was an octopus too who was called Ursula or something."

"Was the mermaid called Ariel?"

Amy grinned. "Yeah! How did you know?"

"Haven't you ever watched the little mermaid?" Katy pretended to be shocked. "Right, I know what we're doing tonight!"

After collecting Ruby from the nursery, they returned to Albert Square. Katy cooked them chicken nuggets and chips, laughing to herself as she remembered vehemently complaining at the prospect of turning into Bianca, before they settled down to watch the Disney movie on the sofa. For once, all her worries and negative thoughts seemed a million miles away.


	25. Chapter 25

_**It's been ages. I'm sorry! My life is crazy at the moment with work and other things!**_

_**Hope you enjoy, anyway!**_

* * *

><p>The following Monday, after Katy had done nothing but work and look after her daughter and cousin all week, the young woman had booked the day off to go shopping with Lauren and Whitney. Bianca had offered to pick Amy up from school and Ruby up from nursery, so there was no need for the trio to rush back to the Square.<p>

Katy and the girls were making their way back to the Butchers' house later that day, when the sight of a blonde dragging several suitcases along Bridge Street with a scowl on her face caught her attention.

"Hey! Rox!" Katy beamed at her aunt and changed direction to give her a hug. Noticing the less than happy expression on the blonde's face and the noticeable absence of her mother, the young woman frowned. "What's wrong? Where's Mum?"

"Why does no one check their messages?" Roxy demanded, glaring between her niece and her step-brother.

"Sorry… I've been busy."

"Let's just… go back to the house and I'll explain."

Saying goodbye to Lauren and Whitney, Katy grabbed the handle of one of the suitcases behind Roxy and pulled it along the street. She ignored Sharon's presence completely as they strode towards Phil's house, going in through the gate and leaving the suitcases in the hall. Katy rolled her eyes and huffed irritably as Phil ordered her to make tea, but did as she was told, leaving the three of them in the living room.

Apparently Roxy hadn't said anything in the time it took for the kettle to boil and the brunette to make four mugs of tea, because when she carried them into the room, Phil and Sharon were standing beside an obstinate Roxy, who was folding clothes and avoiding their eyes.

"_Are you gonna tell us what's going on, or what?_" Phil demanded, motioning for Katy to set the tray on the table. She glared at him, but did it anyway.

"_We got deported._"

Katy's eyebrows shot up into her hairline. "You what?"

"_Well, Ronnie did._"

"_What?_"

"_Not officially,_" Roxy admitted with a sigh, "_but it was either leave the island or the cops were going to press charges._"

"_What charges?_"

"_The first three weeks, she barely gets out of bed at all. Amy's absolutely petrified of her, so there's me _and Katy_ sitting on a beach – a cold beach – all day, every day, with a five year old _and a two-year-old_, building sodding sandcastles._"

"It wasn't that bad." Katy argued defensively. "She came with us sometimes."

"_I thought I was going out of my mind._" Roxy snapped, looking directly at her niece. "_So I said to her, "Ron, I want to go home." and she freaks out. "What are you talking about, this is your home." and I'm like what?_"

"But you were going to buy the bar?" Katy pointed out with a frown, folding her arms. "You and Mum and Carlos were looking at places."

"That fell through…" Roxy replied, shrugging.

Sharon, who was looking between the two women in apparent confusion, shook his head and tried to draw them back to the beginning of the conversation. "_So what were the charges?_"

"_That was only Friday. __**Friday**__. I've had two months of this._"

"You're such a drama queen!" Katy laughed. "It was nowhere near as bad as you're making out!"

"So she wasn't being all mopey and depressed, then?"

"OK, she had a couple of off moments… but who doesn't, Aunty Rox?" The younger woman asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Oh, come on!"

"_Alright, alright…_ _Just get to the point, will ya?_" Phil demanded impatiently.

"_OK, so… Friday night I get her out for a drink._"

"_What?_"

"_We ended up in this bar, right, on the harbour._" Roxy said, running her hands through her hair agitatedly as she settled herself in the armchair. Phil and Sharon perched on the sofa opposite and Katy sat on the arm of the chair, leaning against her aunt. "_She's been in a filthy mood all night and this guy gets chatting to her. A local, perfectly pleasant, bloke, right? All of a sudden she starts screaming her head off like she's totally lost it. She picks up a tequila bottle, she smashes it on the bar and she shoves it right up into his face._"

"_Why?_" Sharon asked, narrowing her eyes.

"_Because she says he touched her up._" Roxy sighed.

Katy shrugged her shoulders. "Seems fair enough." Everyone stared at her with varying expressions of disbelief on their faces. "What? Why do guys think they have the right to touch you? Especially when you've been…" She trailed off, her face contorting with bitterness. "I get it."

"_But I was there._" Roxy said. "_I saw it. He put his arm around her – that's all he did – and she goes nuts._"

"Roxy… that's enough." Her niece told her quietly. "That's more than enough to trigger a reaction from Mum… unwanted physical contact… I…"

The older Mitchell just looked at her for a moment, her face softening slightly before she continued. "_Anyway… it turns out this guy is an off-duty cop. Next thing she's in handcuffs and she's being dragged down the station._"

"_And then what?_"

"_Alright, but get this… so the next morning I'm waiting outside the station for her and she comes out with a massive grin on her face like nothing's happened. Anyway, she said the cops are leaning on her so we've gotta go home and we did._"

"_And where is she now?_" Sharon asked, getting the question out before Katy could.

"_She said she had things to do…_"

"_What things?_"

"_I don't know._" Roxy shrugged. "_I don't care, Phil. I've had it with her. I have, alright. If… if I never see her again, it'll be too soon._"

Shooting her aunt a disgusted look, Katy stormed out of the room as the doorbell rang. She ignored it, making her way through to the kitchen and out of the back door, slamming it behind her. As soon as she had cleared the gate and was leaning against the wall outside, she pulled out her mobile. Just as she selected her mother's number, the handset started ringing and a photo of Ronnie appeared on the screen.

"Hey! I was literally about to phone you." She said with a grin. "Where are you?"

"I'm in a cab on my way back to the Square now. Did you miss me?"

Katy rolled her eyes. "Duh! Of course I did!"

"Glad to hear it." Ronnie laughed. "I've got you some presents."

"Well hurry up and get home, then. I want!"

Her mother laughed again. "Can I stay at your flat?"

Scrunching up her nose in confusion, Katy frowned. "Of course. I thought that was the plan?"

"OK, good… OK. I'm nearly there. I'll have to go… see you in a minute."

As Ronnie rang off, Katy pushed her phone back into her jeans and hurried onto the Square, looking for any sign of the cab that was bringing her mother home. She had only made it as far as the entrance to the gardens when she saw Sharon leaving the house, looking annoyed about something.

A moment or two later, the young woman caught sight of her mother striding along Bridge Street with the market inspector trotting along behind her, pulling her case. Arching an eyebrow an earning a smirk in return, Katy leant against the pillar behind her and waited for Ronnie to get closer.

"Alright?" The blonde called, pausing and almost causing the man on her heels to stumble.

"Course."

Aleks looked confused as Katy pushed away from the black, metal post and sauntered across to meet them. Ronnie reached out and pulled her closer by her jacket, wrapping her arms around her daughter and pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

"This is your…?" Aleks asked, still looking bewildered.

"Aleks, this is my daughter, Katy."

"S'up?" She nodded at him, not smiling as she remembered that he was trying to close down the market.

"Your…? Oh?"

Ronnie blanked him, focusing on her daughter instead. "Where's Rox? At Phil's?"

Katy nodded. "Yeah… she's not exactly happy…"

Her mother chuckled darkly. "No, I don't suppose she is."


	26. Chapter 26

"_Hello? Roxy?_" Ronnie called as they entered the kitchen through the back door. "_Hi._"

"_Where've you been?_" Phil demanded, appearing with Sharon in tow. He completely ignored Aleks's presence and shot Katy a warning look, before focusing his attention on his elder step-sister.

"_Oh, well… I had some things to do and, um… Aleks, is it? Aleks here… this is Aleks, everyone... he very kindly helped me with my bags._"

"_Sorry… do I know you?_" Aleks asked, looking at Roxy.

She pulled a face. "_Should you?_"

"_Are you sisters?_" He asked Ronnie.

"_Yeah, we're sisters._" The older of the two agreed with a chuckle. "_Look… let me give you something for your troubles…_"

"_Oh, no. No, no, no…_"

"_Are you sure?_"

"_It's my pleasure._"

"_Thanks, see ya._"

Katy rolled her eyes, pushing the door closed hard. "Yeah, bye."

"Don't be rude." Ronnie scolded her. Then she sighed deeply and looked at her sister. "_Look, I know you're angry with me and I don't blame you._"

"_The, uhh, the new outfit?_" Phil asked gruffly. "_Suits ya._"

Ronnie smiled. "_Thank you, Phil._"

"_So what have you been doing all this time?_" Roxy demanded.

"_I've been buying the gym._"

"You what?" Katy asked before she could stop herself. "What? Jack's gym?"

"That's the one."

"Why?"

"Our future, Katy."

"What do–?"

"Don't you need to pick Amy and Ruby up?" Phil interrupted before she could finish her sentence. "Get Denny while you're at it."

"What?" She burst out, outraged. "But that's–?"

"Now."

With a loud huff, the girl slammed her way back out of the house, muttering under her breath as she went. Dennis demanded to know why Sharon hadn't picked him up, but Katy refused to answer, telling him to stop bugging her. The little boy scowled and scuffed his shoes on the pavement; something he quickly stopped when Katy reminded him that Phil would go mental if he wrecked another pair of shoes so soon.

"Why are we going to Uncle Phil's?" Amy asked as the young woman led the trio of children towards the back gate of number 55.

"It's a surprise." Katy told her with a broad grin.

Shifting Ruby in her arms so that she could lift the latch on the gate and usher Amy and Dennis inside, Katy stood back and waited for her cousin to enter the house first. She could hear Amy's scream of delight as she clapped eyes on Roxy and grinned broadly.

"_OK, who's ready for their presents?_" Ronnie asked when everyone was settled in the living room.

They went through a whole performance where Ronnie handed out presents to everyone and Sharon complained about both her's and Denny's gifts. Katy rolled her eyes when she demanded that Ronnie take it back and buy him something more suitable. Even Denny seemed irritated by her behaviour, getting up and leaving the room seconds later.

"_Amy, shall we go upstairs and read your book… on our own?_" Roxy suggested.

"And Ruby?" Amy asked, looking between her mum and her cousin.

Glancing at her niece, who shrugged and nodded in assent, Roxy smiled. "And Ruby."

No sooner had they left the room than Sharon started. "_Roxy told us all about you being arrested… said you went completely nuts._"

"Sharon, shut it!" Katy ordered.

"_Don't you think he should be upstairs?_" Ronnie asked, ignoring her dig and focusing on the noise coming from the kitchen where Denny was playing on his DS.

"_Stop changing the subject._"

"_This guy had his hands all over me._"

"_According to Roxy he just put his arm around you._"

"I swear I will rearrange your face if you don't–" Katy threatened, leaning forward from her perch on the arm of Ronnie's chair to glare at Sharon.

The blonde placed a calming hand on her daughter's thigh. "Katy, no." Then she shook her head and scoffed. "_She didn't see everything that he did and she didn't hear what he said._"

"_Turning into quite a habit, isn't it? Your violent impulses._" Sharon said and both Mitchell froze at her words. Ronnie's grip on Katy's leg tightened slightly, as though she expected the younger woman to react. "_I know about Carl._" A cascade of icy water ran down Katy's back and she shivered unconsciously. "_There's no point trying to deny it. Phil's told me the whole story. Well?_"

"_Can he stop making that noise?_" Ronnie exploded suddenly as Dennis' shouts at his console grew louder and louder. "_It's actually driving me mad!_"

The sounds of the game stopped instantly and they heard the boy stamping up the stairs, before a door slammed. Sharon stood up, apparently checking there was no one outside the door, before crossing to the dresser and searching in a drawer. While her back was turned, the mother and daughter exchanged a look.

"_We've got evidence._" Sharon told them, causing them to look at each other again, more panicked this time. The older woman closed the door and returned to her seat, holding up a mobile phone encased in a plastic bag. "_Recognise this? Hmm? I'm not having my son live with a _pair of_ psychopaths._"

"He lives with you and Phil, don't he?" Katy shot back instantly.

"_So either you go, or I do._"

"Bye, then." The young woman said, smiling and leaning back against the chair.

Sharon smirked and shook her head, her eyes flicking between the two Mitchells. "_It's just if I go, I'll be taking this with me and giving it straight to the police. So what's it gonna be?_"

"_Sorry… I don't even know what it is that I'm supposed to be looking at._" Ronnie told her lightly.

"_Carl's phone._"

"_So?_"

"_So you killed him…_ both of you…" Sharon jabbed the phone towards Ronnie. "_Just like you nearly killed that copper in Ibiza. You need help._ Like mother, like daughter…"

"_That might have been true once, alright, but it's not true anymore._" Ronnie snapped. "_Look… you find yourself alone in a prison cell again, four o'clock in the morning, you ask yourself some questions._"

"_Oh, yeah?_"

"_Yes, Sharon. 'Who am I?' I mean, really, who am I? No one. I can be whoever it is I wanna be and d'you know what a realisation like that makes me feel? It makes me feel free._"

Sharon shook her head. "_You're mad._"

"_Am I?_" Ronnie asked calmly, grabbing the back of Katy's jacket as the young woman leapt out of her seat to defend her mother. Shooting her a look, the blonde walked towards the kitchen door. "_Well I can do what I want right now, then, can't I? Go on then, Sharon, call the cops. I dare you._"

"_Just like your father was mad._"

"Fuck's sake!" Katy almost screamed, trying to free herself from her mother's grasp to smack Sharon in retaliation.

"_What are you waiting for?_" Ronnie challenged, still keeping a firm hold on her daughter. "_Go on! Do your worst! See where it gets you!_"

Silence fell as the door opened and Roxy walked in. No one spoke as she walked over to the sofa and picked up Amy's toy. She took in the sight of her niece being restrained by Ronnie, with Sharon standing near the door, almost as though she was staying close to her escape route.

"_Amy wanted her bunny._" Roxy explained, clutching the toy to her chest. Then she turned and left, closing the door behind her.

They waited until the door clicked shut.

"_Well?_"

"_Well what?_" Sharon demanded.

"_What's stopping you?_"

"_You need to see a doctor._"

"You stuck up bitch!" Katy exploded, fighting against her mother again.

Ronnie kept up her vice-like grip, refusing to let her go. They all knew that Sharon would be no match for the brunette in a physical fight and Ronnie wouldn't let her daughter do something so stupid when the older woman had so much on them. If Katy beat seven shades of hell out of her, Sharon wouldn't hesitate to use it against them.

"_How dare you speak to me like this in my own home?_"

"Your home?" Katy laughed mirthlessly. "This is the Mitchells' home. You're not a Mitchell. You never will be."

"_We all know why you've come crawling back to Phil._" Ronnie added, just as spitefully.

"I love him!"

"Like hell you do! You just know a good thing when you see one and Phil's too dumb to notice that you're playing him like a fucking piano!"

"I'm surprised you even know what a piano is. Did they have them in the gutter that Ronnie dumped you in?"

"BITCH!"

Again, Ronnie caught Katy around the waist just before she reached Sharon, pulling her back and wrapping her arms around her tightly. Her eyes focused on the older blonde's face and she scowled furiously.

"Does Dennis know that his Dad is actually his Uncle?" She retorted venomously.

"Don't you dare–"

"So it's alright for you to verbally abuse **my** daughter, but your son is off limits?"

"My son isn't a murder!" Sharon screamed.

"Your son is a feral little brat." Ronnie replied calmly, still hugging Katy close.

"_Is there a problem?_"


	27. Chapter 27

The trio of women in the living room turned round at the sound of Phil's voice. Seconds later the front door slammed shut and an uneasy silence descended over the house. Phil looked between them, evidently waiting for an answer to his question.

"Ronnie, let go of Katy." He ordered.

The blonde shot him a look. "I can't."

He huffed irritably. "If Ronnie lets go of you, you're gonna act like an adult and sit down, ain't ya?"

"I ain't promising nothing."

"Ain't ya?" Phil repeated warningly.

Katy exhaled sharply. "Fine! Yeah, whatever."

Slowly Ronnie's released her grip on her daughter and Katy stuck to her word. She did nothing more than glower at Sharon as she dropped heavily on the sofa and folded her arms across her chest. Ronnie sat on one side of her, while Phil sat on the other. Sharon settled herself in the arm chair, staring primly at them across the coffee table.

No one spoke for a while. They all just stared at each other. Every now and again Katy would flex her fingers, cracking her knuckles. After the third time, Phil swatted at her arm, sending her a threatening look.

"_Are we gonna sit here all day or are we gonna sort this out?_" He asked finally.

"_Why don't you ask the rabbit?_"

"_I'm not having them living here, Phil._"

"Like you can dictate that." Katy shot back. "This ain't your house!"

"_Don't think I won't go to the police if I have to._"

"_Sharon, no one is gonna go to the police._"

"_And you can keep your gift… I don't want it._"

"_Oh, what? Am I supposed to be offended, Sharon?_" Ronnie asked sarcastically.

Silence fell for a moment between the women, before Phil held out his hand. "_Give it to me._"

Sharon looked confused. "_What?_"

"_The phone._"

"_I don't think so._"

Katy snorted with amusement, but was quickly sent a threatening look. "Shut up, Katy. Sharon… _just for safekeeping._"

"_Yeah? And why should I trust you?_"

"_You clearly don't, otherwise you wouldn't have tried pulling that stunt putting yourself in control of the new bar._"

"_What's that?_" Ronnie asked, looking between her step-brother and her daughter in confusion.

"_It's between me and Sharon. Now give me the phone or you can kiss goodbye to your bar._" He threatened.

The older woman held out the device like a petulant child. Phil stood up to take it and, behind his back, Katy grinned tauntingly at Sharon. Holding out the toy rabbit to the blonde, Phil asked her to take it upstairs for Amy.

"_Me, Ronnie_ and Katy _are gonna have a little chat._"

Sharon snatched the teddy and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Ronnie and Katy exchanged a look before Phil turned back to regard them seriously. His gaze settled on the young brunette for a moment, before moving across to her mother. Letting out a deep sigh, he perched on the arm of the chair.

"_Don't think for one minute this means I'm on your side._" He warned them.

"_I have never, never understood what you saw in her._" Ronnie told him bluntly.

"Me either," Katy agreed with a shrug, slouching on the sofa, "she's a fucking nightmare."

"_For one thing, I like the fact that she stands up to me. Not a lot of women can do that, which is why it ain't a good idea to wind her up, because she can be a bit unpredictable._"

"_She's bluffing._" Ronnie said confidently.

Phil shrugged. "_Well, maybe. And maybe not. And that's the other reason I like Sharon; you never can tell, which keeps you on your toes._"

"_Phil… why've you still got the phone?_"

"_Dead bodies have got a habit of turning up when you least want 'em to._" He reminded them seriously.

"_This one won't._"

"_Well call it insurance._"

"_But you just said no one's gonna call the police._"

"_No one's gonna call the police 'cos you're gonna do what Sharon wants and move out of here._" Phil told her. He glanced at Katy. "I thought you'd be moving in with Katy anyway, right? So what's the problem?"

Ronnie shrugged. "Yeah, I was going to, but I won't be ordered around by Sharon!"

"_Listen, I'm just being practical, alright?_ Let her think she's winning… _it's the easiest way._"

"_Easiest way for who? For you? Not for me_, for us!"

The door opened and Sharon appeared. "_They still here?_"

"_Just… just give me a couple of minutes._"

"_Are they leaving, or aren't they?_"

Katy stood up and surged forward. Despite trying to remain passive and unfrightened, Sharon took a step backwards at the sight of the angry young woman lurching towards her. "I don't even live here so quit telling me what to do, yeah?"

"_We're trying to sort it out, alright?_" Phil told her, pushing Katy back.

Sharon threw up her hands. "_Fine._"

She left the room, Phil hot on her heels. Katy and Ronnie heard Sharon shouting at Dennis to get his things together and guessed that she had decided to move out for a while, rather than waiting for them to work something out. Katy grinned and leant back against the sofa cushions comfortably.

"Why'd you tell her to ring the cops?" She asked, turning her head to look at her mother.

"I knew she wouldn't." Ronnie replied confidently. "She hasn't got the nerve."

A flicker of doubt appeared in Katy's eyes for the first time. "D'you reckon… would Phil really choose her over us?"

Ronnie shook her head. "No…"

"You don't sound sure."

"He's family, ain't he?"

Katy sighed, but didn't say anything else. Phil returned a couple of moments later and glared at them.

"_Like I need this, eh?_"

"_What if she goes to the police?_"

"_Well hopefully… hopefully… she'll calm down._"

There was a knock on the door and both Mitchell women jumped, whirling round as it opened and Jay poked his head inside. Feeling as though her heart was beating a million times a minute, Katy forced herself to smile.

"_What's the matter with Sharon?_"

"_You alright, Jay?_"

"_Alright? I knew you was back… I just saw Roxy._"

"_Yeah, it's nice to see ya._"

"_Yeah and you._"

The normality of the conversation was such a contrast to what was going on around them that Katy almost laughed. She caught Phil's eye, however, and looked down at her hands in her lap instead.

"_Ummm… look, we can talk about this later… I've got to go. I've got an appointment._" Ronnie announced, making her daughter and Phil look at her in surprise.

"_Where you going?_"

"_I've got to go and get the keys for the gym._"

"_Yeah, well we haven't finished our conversation, have we?_"

"_Well you can come with me._" Ronnie told him. Then she turned to the boy in the doorway with a smile. "_Jay, will you look after Amy?_"

"And Ruby… Katy's coming too." Phil added.

"_Yeah, course I will._" He agreed easily, with a smile and a nod.

"_Come on, then._"

Katy rolled her eyes at Jay in a jokey way, before following her mum out of the room. Phil prodded her in the shoulder to make her walk more quickly. They crossed the Square in silence and met the man with the keys outside the gym. Ronnie beamed as he handed them over, thanking him quickly, before letting them inside.

She walked around almost in a dream, letting her hand trail over the ropes of the ring in the centre of the room, obviously thinking back to happier times. Katy sighed and leant against the wall watching as she gazed at the punch bag for a moment. Then, without warning, she started to punch it.

"_Get your hands up._" Phil coached her, moving to stand beside Katy. "_Tuck your elbows in. That's better._"

"_What does it feel like to break someone's nose, Phil?_" Ronnie asked suddenly, punching the bag again. "_You've done that, haven't you? Does it feel good? Or do you feel bad about it afterwards?_"

He chuckled. "Ask your daughter." Then he shrugged. "_I have done, yeah._"

"_Felt bad? Oh, I'm surprised. I thought you didn't do guilt?_"

"_You clearly don't, do ya?_"

"_What's that phrase you always say? Guilt's for wimps._"

"_So how come you got the keys for this place today? You've only been back five minutes._"

Ronnie smirked. "_I'm a cash buyer, aren't I? I can hit the ground running; made business sense for them to hand it over as soon as. And a little bit of charm didn't go amiss either._"

"_So what are you gonna do with the place?_" Phil asked as the three of them walked around the ring aimlessly.

"_Well, I'm gonna make some money, hopefully._"

"_Ain't you got enough?_"

Katy laughed and Ronnie shook her head. "_You're asking me that?_"

"_Yeah, well I would have thought with all the money you got off Carl you'd be thinking about putting your feet up._"

"_Who says I had anything off Carl?_" Ronnie asked as her daughter's eyes flickered to hers questioningly.

"_How else did you get the money for this place, eh?_" Phil lowered his voice and stepped forwards. "_That was my money, Ronnie, and you know it._" He pulled the phone out of his pocket and held it up. "_I'm, err… glad I kept this. Not so much an insurance policy, more of a… credit guarantee._"

"_Oh!_" Ronnie nodded, smiling at him. "_Well at least I know where we stand now._"

"_Yeah, well, I never have liked people ripping me off. I… I do things._"

"_Yeah, so do I._" They stared each other out for a moment. "_Don't worry, Phil, you're gonna get your money._" The woman's eyes flickered towards her daughter and a pang of regret and fear hit her. "_So why did you tell Sharon?_"

"_I didn't. She found the phone and started asking questions._"

"_And then you told her?_"

He sighed deeply. "_She knows when I'm lying these days._"

"_What makes you so sure she ain't gonna spill the beans?_"

"_I ain't. Like I said, she can be unpredictable._"

"_Well, I guess I'll leave the worrying to you, shall I?_"

"_D'you know what I think?_"

"_What d'you think, Phil?_"

"_I think this new you is just a big act._"

She reached out with one finger and prodded him in the stomach. Katy furrowed her eyes in confusion at the move. She had been expecting a denial or some form of response more fitting to the situation.

"_How are your tummy muscles these days?_" Ronnie asked, confusing her daughter even more.

"_I work out._"

"_Do ya?_"

Ronnie raised her hands quickly, as though she was about to punch him. Phil reacted at once, causing the blonde to throw back her head and chuckle. "_As for me putting on an act? I guess we'll have to wait and see. I think we're done here, aren't we?_"

Reaching out, Ronnie took Katy's hand in hers and pulled her towards the office. She closed the door with them both inside and turned to look at Phil through the glass. He was still standing where they'd left him, watching them carefully.

"I'll get that phone, Mum." Katy promised her seriously.

Ronnie smiled softly at her, touching her cheek. "What would I do without you?"


	28. Chapter 28

"Mum? Can you have Rubes for a bit?" Katy asked, walking into the living room and seeing Amy, Jay and Roxy sitting at the table, while Ronnie looked at the computer screen over her sister's shoulder.

"What d'you think about Roxy moving into number 27?" Jay asked before Ronnie had a chance to answer.

"I dunno… if that's what she wants to do, why not?"

"_Please can you just shut up, I'm trying to watch the telly!_" Amy shouted, causing her mother's eyebrows to shoot up in response.

"That's your fault, that is." Roxy said, pointing at her niece. "I blame you."

Katy rolled her eyes. "Course you do."

"_What are you looking for, anyway?_" Roxy called after Ronnie as she left the room and closed the door behind her.

Handing Ruby to Jay, Katy followed. She found the blonde rooting through Phil's coat pockets and shook her head.

"It ain't in there… I checked."

The kitchen door opened and Phil appeared. "_Looking for this?_" He asked, holding up the mobile in question.

"_Give it to me, Phil._" Ronnie demanded, stalking towards him with her hand outstretched.

"_No way._"

"Phil… just give it here." Katy added, following her mother into the kitchen.

"No!"

"_Amy wants seconds, is there any left?_" Roxy asked, walking through the middle of the argument and forcing Phil to hide the mobile hastily. "_What's the problem now?_"

"_Ronnie's upset about you moving out, ain't ya, Ron?_"

"_Oh yeah? Nothing to do with Sharon?_" Roxy enquired.

They all looked at her. "_Why d'you say that?_"

"_Because I'm not as stupid as everyone thinks. Well?_"

"_What is the one thing all three of you have got in common?_" Phil asked, looking at the older two women in the kitchen. "_Jack Branning. No wonder he did a runner!_"

As Katy snorted with amusement and her mother and aunt shook their heads, Jay leant around the door and attracted their attention. He looked worried, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder agitatedly.

"_I don't want to bother you, but there's a police car just pulled up outside._"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the doorbell rang. They exchanged a wary look, before Phil decided to take charge.

"_Right, you three… you three get upstairs and you,_" he pointed at Jay, "_you take the girls and all._"

"_Excuse me!_" Roxy complained.

"_Just get upstairs, now!_"

"_I told you you couldn't trust Sharon._" Ronnie stated calmly, moving slowly out into the hallway.

"_And I told you… I told you to get out of here._" Phil muttered furiously. "_Now you might wanna get banged up, but this ain't just about you, is it?_ Your daughter is in this just as deep as you are and _I helped clear up your mess, do you remember?_"

"_They're on the doorstep, Phil. It's over._"

Katy pushed past her step-uncle and grabbed the blonde's arm. "Mum… what are you doing?"

"Just keep your mouth shut, baby, OK?" Ronnie warned her, cupping her face gently and pressing a kiss to her temple. "Don't say anything."

"But Mum, I–"

"Please, trust me."

Biting her lip, Katy nodded. "I do."

"_Wait, wait!_" Roxy came running from the kitchen just as Ronnie was about to open the front door. "_Why are they here?_"

"_They're here because of Carl._"

"_What about Carl?_"

"_Ronnie… Ronnie, don't._"

"Mum!"

"_He's dead._" Ronnie admitted as the knocking on the door continued.

"_What d'you mean he's dead? What…?_" She turned to glare accusingly at Phil. "_What have you done?_"

"It wasn't him!" Katy burst out before she could stop herself.

"_Roxy, it wasn't him._" Ronnie repeated, shooting a warning look at her daughter. "_It was me._"

"Mum, no–"

"_What?!_"

"_Now listen,_" Phil grasped her firmly by the arms and propelled her towards the staircase, "_you get up them stairs and you keep your mouth shut, d'you hear me? You keep it shut._" He prodded Katy in the arm. "Go with her; make sure she stays up there. You don't say anything, understand?"

Shooting a final, pleading look at Ronnie, Katy nodded and pulled her aunt up the stairs by the hand. They heard the front door open as the brunette pushed the older woman into her bedroom and closed the door carefully so it didn't make a sound.

Roxy scowled at her, turning to face her with her hands on her hips. "Did you know?"

"Huh?"

"About Carl, did you know?"

"Of course I fucking knew. How could I not know? I was–" Katy stopped abruptly.

"You were what, Katy?" Roxy demanded, bearing down on her and grasping her upper arms firmly. "You were what?"

"Nothing!"

"No, no! Do not lie to me!"

"Aunty Roxy, I don't know what you want me to–"

"Just tell me the truth, Katy!" The blonde exploded. "Please, for once, will somebody just be straight with me?"

Her niece chewed on her lip. "I… you'll hate me."

"I won't. Just, please…"

"It wasn't Mum. It was me. She's just saying it was her to cover for me."

Roxy blinked several times, then she stumbled back and collapsed onto her bed, bunching the duvet in her clenched fists. "I think you better explain…"

"It was… I was at the club on New Year's Eve and Mum rang me in tears. She said she was at Carl's flat, so I went over there. You… you should have seen her, Rox. I have never, never seen her like that… she was in pieces.

"She told me that she'd gone there to warn Carl off… she was going to pay him five grand to stay away… but he wanted more. When Mum refused he… he attacked her. He tried to…" Katy swallowed thickly and shook her head, looking away from the older woman. Clenching her fists, she wrapped her arms protectively across her chest. "She grabbed the closest thing to her – a bottle – and hit him with it. Then she called me because she didn't know what to do."

"So… what did you do?" Roxy almost whispered.

"I checked his pulse and realised he was still alive. I gagged him and tied him up while Mum got the bottle. She barely knew what was going on… she was stuck inside her own head, imagining what might have happened.

"We took him to the Arches and put him in one of the pits. I made Mum come to the Vic with me to see in the New Year… then I sent her home while I went back to the club.

"The next morning I told her to put the bottle in the recycling bin and then stay in the house while I sorted some things at the club. When I got back, she told me she'd told Phil everything. I wasn't happy, but it was too late to do anything. Phil asked me what the plan was and I told him we were going to send Carl to the scrapyard."

Roxy looked as though she was about to be sick. "The… the scrapyard?"

The corners of Katy's lips turned up in the tiniest of smirks. "Crush the bastard."

"Oh my god…"

"But Mum said no. She told him to leave Walford. Phil and I weren't happy, but we let it go. We just wanted him gone."

"So… how did he end up dead?"

There was a pause. "Mum thought threats would be enough. She was confident that Carl was gone. I wasn't. She rang me soon after and told me that he was back and had done something to you. He mentioned taking one of Phil's cars, so we went to the Arches.

"Mum was already there with Carl when I arrived. He was…" She breathed heavily, her eyes flashing with fury as she remembered the scene she'd walked in on that day. "He was kissing her… Mum was trying to push him away, but he was too strong. His hands were all over her and she was crying and I just…" She took a deep breath, calming herself down to an almost frightening state. "I hit him with an axel stand."

"You…?"

"We put him in the boot of the car and I cleaned the axel stand and then I took Mum home to calm down. We went over to the flat and you were just lying on the sofa… after what Carl threatened, we thought… we thought… but you woke up when Amy poked you. I don't think I've ever been so relieved in my life.

"We drove him to a scrapyard. We watched the car being crushed. We came home and we went to Ibiza."

"You killed Carl?" Roxy whispered, unable to believe what she was being told. "But you… how? How could you do that?"

Katy shook her head. When she spoke, her tone was completely matter-of-fact, as though the answer was obvious. "He was hurting Mum."


	29. Chapter 29

Roxy stared at her niece in horror for a moment. "I need to…"

She started towards the door, leaving Katy to trail behind her. She knew she should try to stop the blonde going downstairs, but she didn't see the point. She didn't want to go to prison, but she didn't want her mother to be arrested either.

It was their word against Sharon's, Katy decided as they descended the staircase. There was no evidence that either of them had anything to do with Carl's death, apart from the phone, which was purely circumstantial. As long as Ronnie hadn't said anything, the young woman was sure that Ritchie would be able to get them off any charges the police wanted to throw at them.

Ronnie caught Katy's eye as they reached the bottom of the stairs. A policeman was standing just inside the front door and he greeted them cordially, before turning to speak to Lola. Katy furrowed her eyes in confusion at the sight of the teen standing in the doorway to the living room, wondering what was going on.

"_Now, Lola, let's hope this is the last time I see you, no offence._" He said.

"_Yeah, it will be._" She promised in a small voice.

"_Yeah, we promise._" Ronnie added, smiling at the policeman and putting an arm around Lola.

Phil grasped Roxy by the arm and manhandled her along the hallway and into the kitchen. "_Let's get in the kitchen, yeah?_" He glanced over his shoulder and sent the brunette a meaningful look. "Katy?"

She nodded and followed, peeking over her shoulder at the scene by the front door, before Phil shut them in the kitchen and folded his arms. He looked between the two women, waiting for answers.

"She told me… Katy told me that it was… it was her?" Roxy gasped out.

"You what?" Phil glared at his step-niece irritably. "What'd you do that for, eh?"

"It wasn't fair Roxy thinking it was Mum!" She argued. "It wasn't her!"

"It might have been!" Phil reminded her, causing Roxy to stop her ranting about texts and New Year and look between them.

"What?"

The front door closed at that moment and they all paused. Phil went into the hall and looked at Ronnie, who nodded and smiled.

"_He's gone._"

"What's happening?" Katy asked, standing on tiptoes to peer over Phil's shoulder.

"Lola got cautioned for nicking nappies off the market." Jay replied quickly. He frowned as Katy grinned broadly. "It ain't funny!"

"No." She rearranged her expression quickly. "No, course it ain't."

They relocated into the living room to continue the conversation. Katy couldn't believe how different the situation was to the one she'd been expecting when she'd heard about the police being outside the house.

"_What if they ring social services?_" Lola asked quietly. "_I wasn't even thinking. What if they try and take Lexi again?_"

"_No one's going to take her, darling._" Sharon promised at once.

"_I wouldn't let that happen; trust me._" Ronnie added. "_Mitchells stick together. And you, madam, you're an honorary Mitchell sister, isn't she, Roxy?_"

Katy glanced at her aunt at that statement and was unsurprised to see that the blonde looked far from impressed. She didn't realise, however, that there was an almost identical expression on her own face, although she did feel the pang of jealousy her mother's words elicited.

"_And next time you need anything, promise to come to us._"

"_Yeah…_" Lola agreed with a small smile. "_Yeah… I just feel like such an idiot._"

"Well you are." Katy muttered under her breath.

"Katherine, don't." Her mother snapped, making her look up in surprise at the use of her full name. Ronnie scowled at her, before turning back to Lola and speaking in a less sharp tone. "_You did what you did for your kid._"

"_If you need anything for Lexi, come to me, alright? You don't go nicking stuff._" Phil ordered, handing her a bag of supplies.

"_OK, I'm sorry…_"

"_Next time, get the Old Bill to take you home; don't bring them round here._"

"_Phil, come on._"

"_But I didn't want Pops and Peter to find out._" Lola argued.

"_Well it's hardly crime of the century, is it?_" Phil pointed out. Ronnie and Katy both shifted uncomfortably, feeling Sharon and Roxy's gazes burning into them. "_Billy's hardly Mother Teresa himself, is he?_"

"_Yeah, I know, but we're really skint at the moment and I don't want to make him feel any worse than he already does._"

Phil sighed. "_Listen, if you don't get back soon Billy's going to start asking questions. Jay'll walk you back, won't you, Jay?_"

"_Yeah, course I will._" He agreed good-naturedly.

"_Could I stay here tonight?_" Lola asked. Unbeknownst to her or Jay everyone tensed at the thought.

"_No._" Phil snapped.

"_Don't worry about Billy._" Ronnie told her firmly. "_If he asks any questions just tell him you went out with me,_ Katy _and Roxy for the evening._"

"_But what if he finds out?_"

"Fucking hell… stop panicking! It's Billy, not MI5!" Katy snapped, feeling her own nerves starting to fray.

Ronnie glared at her and wrapped an arm around the teenager's shoulders. "_He's not going to find out. Don't worry about it._"

Lola said goodnight and thanked them, while Jay picked up the bag Phil had given her. They went out into the hall and those still in the living room could still hear their chatter. Roxy was glaring at her niece, shaking her head slightly and curling her lip in disgust. Katy stared back defiantly until the blonde turned and left the room.

"_Roxy…?_"

"_Ronnie… Ronnie deal with her, will ya?_" Phil demanded gruffly.

When her mother had followed Roxy up stairs, the man turned to the young brunette and scowled. "Why did you tell her?"

"Like I said, it wasn't Mum."

"Get up them stairs and help Ronnie calm Roxy down, yeah?"

"Fine."

She slammed the door behind her, stamping up the staircase. It was only when she was near enough to the top landing to see her mother and her aunt that she hesitated. Ronnie was leaning in the bathroom doorway and Roxy was glaring at her from outside hers and Amy's bedroom. The younger blonde glanced down, meeting her niece's eyes, before looking between Katy and Ronnie.

"Well come on, then? Tell me everything."

"Mum, I–"

"No!" Roxy whirled round and held up a hand. "No. You don't say anything. I want to hear it from her."

"But–"

"Katy, it's alright, baby." Ronnie assured her softly.

Her daughter shook her head quickly. "You don't understand. I–"

Ronnie ignored her. "_It just… it just happened and… I didn't think about it, I just…_"

"_You couldn't help yourself, no?_" Her sister asked sarcastically. "_No, Ronnie, no. That is what you say when you wake up in bed with a random. That's not what you say…_" she lowered her voice, "_when you've murdered someone._"

"_Murder?_"

"Mum… stop!"

"No, Ronnie, don't stop!" Roxy ordered, scowling at her niece again.

"_Murder? What are you saying that you think I killed him in cold blood?_"

"_Yeah._"

"_Wh–?_"

"_Why did you do it?_"

Katy took several steps forward. "Don't say an–"

"Just shut up, Katy!" Roxy snapped, rounding on her. "Just shut up! I want to hear it from Ronnie!"

There was a long silence. Judging from the wild look in her eyes, Katy thought that Roxy might just bundle her into her bedroom and stop her getting out if she said another word. She didn't want to miss this conversation and so she bit her tongue, trying to get through to her mother telepathically.

It didn't work, however, the blonde breaking the quiet moments later. "_He gave me no choice._"

"_You made me… you made me believe he'd left me. I thought there was something wrong with me and you sat there, you watched me try and call him every night and you… you knew he was dead?_ The both of you?"

"_I'm sorry. Is that what you want me to say?_"

Roxy scoffed. "_Why, huh? Why are you so determined for me to be alone?_"

"_Oh…_" Ronnie shook her head.

"_Is it because you want me all to yourself, do you?_" The younger blonde asked, reaching up and attempting to run her hand through her sister's hair. Ronnie jerked her head away instinctively. "_'Cos sometimes I really wonder what is going on up there._"

"_Listen to me. Listen to me! He wasn't…_"

"_What? What? He wasn't good enough? No? Just like Damien. And just like Sean. And just like… just like Alfie. Just like any other man I've ever got close to. You're always there, waiting to twist the knife. Well done, Ronnie. Well done, 'cos you twisted it for real this time, didn't you?_"

"That's not fair!" Katy burst out, unable to stay quiet any longer. "That's not fair!"

"Katy, shush." This time it was her mother hushing her and the young woman felt hot, angry tears prickling behind her eyelids. "_Listen to me._" Ronnie ordered, grasping her sister by the shoulders. "_Listen to me! Whatever I did, I did it for you._"

"_Don't you dare! Don't you dare lay this at my door. This was you, alright? It was all you._" She turned away from her sister and met her niece's eyes. Roxy laughed mirthlessly. "No… it wasn't you at all, was it? Katy told me, Ronnie. Katy told me what happened. She explained everything. Because of you… you did that to your daughter." She lowered her voice to a savage hiss. "You made your daughter into a murderer."

And then she walked into her bedroom and closed the door with a firm click.


	30. Chapter 30

"Why did you tell her?" Ronnie demanded as soon as Roxy had closed the door on them. She looked at her daughter in complete disbelief, struggling to understand what could possibly have made her admit the truth. "Why?"

"Why? Because she's your sister, Mum!" Katy replied as though it was obvious. "It's always been Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell against the world, ain't it? If she thinks you killed Carl… let me take the blame for this. It could have been me anyway… we don't know who it was that actually killed him."

"I'm your Mum. I'm supposed to protect you, to keep you out of trouble. Rox was right… this is my fault."

"No, it's not. I would rather kill a hundred Carl White's than see you get hurt."

"Sweetheart–"

"No, Mum. When I saw him… when I saw him with his hands all over you… you trying to fight him off… his face… I don't regret it."

Ronnie raised her hands and cupped her daughter's face for a moment, before running her fingers through Katy's hair. She exhaled deeply and rested their foreheads together. "You're so brave."

"Brave?" Katy snorted derisively. "It was selfish. It was instinctive."

"You did it for me…" Her mother whispered.

The brunette smiled softly and nodded. "Yeah."

"What did I do to deserve you?"

"I don't know… I think maybe it was something awful."

"No." Ronnie shook her head firmly, pressing a lingering kiss to her daughter's temple. "I must have done something wonderful."

Katy laughed, shaking her head. "Oh, Mum!"

When the blonde joined in softly, hugging her daughter with all her might, the door to Roxy's bedroom opened and the younger Mitchell sister left the room, scowling at them.

"_My daughter is trying to sleep._" She announced irritably.

Ronnie's smile dropped at once. "_Yeah, well I'm not leaving here until you understand exactly what it was–_"

"_You know who you remind me of, don't you?_" Roxy asked, stopping at the foot of the stairs up to the second floor of the house. "_You think you can get away with anything if you plead innocence._ At least Katy had the nerve to admit what she'd done... admit that she killed him. _You are just like him._"

"_I'm nothing like Dad._"

Roxy raised Ronnie's clenched fist and took a cursory glance at her hand. "_Even though you're wearing his ring?_" When her sister snatched her arm free, she sighed. "_Suit yourself. Fine. Whatever. I really don't care anymore. Me and you are finished. You've gone too far, Ron._" She looked at Katy. "Even if it wasn't you who actually killed him… you would have done, wouldn't you? You didn't stop Katy… you helped her."

Ronnie looked down. "She's my daughter. _You're my sister._"

"_No, I'm not._" Roxy shook her head tearfully. "_I don't have a sister._"

"Aunty Roxy, please…" Katy stepped around her mother and held out a hand. "Don't blame Mum… it was my fault…"

"No, Katy…" Ronnie shook her head. "She's right… I'm your Mum… I should have…"

"Don't go there, again." Katy warned her.

"_You make me sick._" The younger blonde snapped, looking between the mother and daughter disgustedly. "_Stay away from me_… both of you!"

"_Roxy…_" Ronnie followed her as she attempted to retreat, grasping her younger sister by the arm and tugging her backwards. "_You have got to hear me out!_"

"_I'm not interested! OK? I've already told you we're finished._"

Breathing heavily, Ronnie didn't move as Roxy walked away, shutting herself back into her bedroom. Tentatively, Katy reached out and wrapped her hand around her mother's bicep gently. When the woman turned to look at her, Katy pulled her into a tight hug, burying her face into her mother's neck.

"I'm sorry, Mum."

"It's not your fault, baby."

Katy shook her head. "It is…"

Ronnie pulled back, gripping her daughter's chin almost painfully tightly and fixing her with a serious glare. "No, Katy, stop it. This is not your fault. You were trying to cover up for me."

"We're going to keep having this same argument over and over again, aren't we?" The brunette asked with a mirthless chuckle, tilting her head slightly to one side.

"I think we probably are."

"Then let's agree that we're in this together… you and me."

"Alright. You and me." Ronnie agreed with a small smile, before she leant forward and pressed a lingering kiss to her daughter's forehead.

x-x

Against Phil's express wishes, Ronnie and Katy had taken Ruby and gone back to the flat the young woman was living in, leaving Roxy and Amy behind. Katy had persuaded her mother, without much difficulty, that the best way to get through to Roxy was to let her cool down on her own.

No sooner had Katy got Ruby settled, than Ronnie announced that she needed to go out. Her daughter had been reluctant to let her leave, especially on her own, but Ronnie assured her that she was just going to sort things out at the gym and would be fine. Katy wanted to go to with her, but that would mean waking her daughter up and taking her back out in the cold.

The whole time her mother was out, Katy was on tenterhooks. She kept her phone clutched in her hand, peering out through the curtains across the Square every couple of minutes. When she eventually saw Ronnie walking back towards her, it looked as though the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders.

Katy jumped down the stairs to let the blonde into the flat, sighing with relief as Ronnie pulled her into her arms without a word. She ran her hand through the brunette's hair, pressing kisses to her head. Finally Katy was able to guide the woman up the stairs and into the living room where she pushed her down onto the sofa and went to turn the kettle on.

"I spoke to Roxy."

"Yeah, and?"

"I told her… I told her about what Carl… what he tried…"

The young woman narrowed her eyes. "What did she say?"

Ronnie shook her head hurriedly. "She… we're OK. I think… I think she understands why we… we had no choice."

"So… she's cool?"

"Yeah, I… I think so."

"Good."


	31. Chapter 31

A couple of days later, Katy was crossing the Square on her way to pick Ruby up from nursery, when she caught sight of Max leaning against the doorway of the car lot. He caught her eye and smiled sheepishly. For a moment, the young woman glared back. Then she sighed and smiled softly. Before she could turn away, Max nodded his head towards the office and disappeared inside.

Pulling her coat more tightly around herself, Katy changed direction and walked purposefully towards the cabin. Instinctively she shot a quick glance around to check no one was watching her, before slipping into the office and shutting the door behind her.

Max was lounging in his chair behind his desk, smirking at her knowingly. Narrowing her eyes a little and crossing her arms firmly across her chest, Katy leant against the wall and stared at him. When he didn't immediately speak, she arched an eyebrow.

"So? What d'you want?" Katy snapped after a couple of moments.

"You alright?"

"What? You're suddenly concerned about my welfare?"

Max shook his head. "Look… I'm sorry, alright, about before. I just… I had a lot on my mind, babe. What with Carol and everything…"

"So you're saying you've changed your mind?"

"Look, I ain't expecting…"

"I'm not just gonna come running because you've called." Katy snapped, scowling at him. "I don't need you, Max."

"I know you don't, babe."

"So, what? What are you hoping to get out of this little meeting?"

"I just don't want things to be awkward, alright? You're my daughter's best mate. Lauren ain't stupid. She's gonna figure out that summit ain't right and start asking questions."

"Well I ain't gonna say anything, am I? There's enough going on with Carol and Alice and that…"

Max exhaled deeply and crossed the office so that he was standing in front of Katy. Reaching out, he put one hand on her cheek and smiled softly at her. She kept her face emotionless, looking up and meeting his eyes, which flickered down to her lips. Katy knew that he wanted to kiss her, but she wasn't going to make it easy for him after he'd made her feel so rejected.

"Please, babe…"

"I've got to pick Ruby up." Katy informed him bluntly, ducking out of his embrace. She paused with her hand on the door and glanced back over her shoulder. "Text me tomorrow."

x-x

"Katy? Katy!" Ronnie's panicked tones reverberated around the flat, along with the sound of the front door slamming and her footsteps pounding up the stairs. "Katy!"

"Mum!" The young woman replied bemusedly. "I'm in the kitchen. What's up?"

Without replying, the blonde pulled her daughter into her arms and hugged her tightly. She pulled away far enough to look into her face searchingly, before hugging her tightly again. Katy furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, wondering what had got into her mother to make her so panicky.

"What's–"

"I was round at Dot's and the police turned up. They–"

Katy's eyes widened. "Mum? What happened? Did they say anything? Did you say anything?"

"What?" Ronnie shook her head. "No! No, nothing. They… Dot's son, Nick, he's dead."

"Oh…"

"Yeah… I know he was a nasty piece of work, but he was still her son. She's absolutely devastated. I just thought about how I felt when I thought… I don't know what I'd do if I lost you, Katy."

The younger woman smiled determinedly. "You won't, Mum."

"You can't promise that."

"I can." Katy replied in a challenging tone. "Try me."

Ronnie chuckled and pressed a kiss to the brunette's forehead. "I need a drink. Vic?"

Nodding, Katy threw the dishcloth onto the counter and followed her mother out of the room. "Abi and Jay are watching Ruby and Amy. I said I'd pick them both up in about an hour."

She grabbed her jacket and her purse and followed Ronnie down the stairs. Outside, she pushed her arm through her mother's and chuckled at something the blonde said, nodding her head towards Ian who was jogging across the Square. They both snorted with laughter, before Katy pushed open the door to the pub and motioned her mother through in front of her.

"_Oi, why haven't you been answering my calls?_" Roxy snapped as soon as she laid eyes on her sister. "_I've been worried sick!_"

"_Why?_"

"_Because I thought Carl's mum had caught up with you again._"

"I'm sorry, what?" Katy demanded, looking between the two blonde. "What's this about Carl's mum?"

"It's nothing, sweetie." Ronnie tried assuring her in a calming voice.

"Like hell it isn't? What's going on?"

"Nothing." Her mother repeated firmly, scowling at Roxy, before pushing past her and sitting in the booth with Phil and Sharon.

"Rox?" Katy hissed, turning on her aunt.

But the blonde merely shrugged and took her seat once more, clearly unwilling to enlighten the younger woman when her mother was so obviously against doing it. Scowling, Katy dropped onto the bench between them and leant back, folding her arms more aggressively than was necessary.

None of them wanted to talk in front of Phil and, especially, Sharon so they kept to neutral topics. After a while, Sharon stood up, announcing that she was going to see how Dot was after receiving her terrible news. Phil stood too, offering to go with her, but she turned him down, pointing out that diplomacy wasn't his strong point and finding something nice to say about Nick was going to be difficult enough.

"Are you gonna tell me why Carl's mum's got Roxy all spooked?" Katy hissed as soon as the Roxy had excused herself to go to the toilet.

Ronnie sighed. "She called Carl's phone. I went to meet her and told her that I was Roxy and that Carl and I broke up and I hadn't seen him. I made up some stuff about thinking he was cheating on me."

"_And she definitely bought it?_" Phil asked sceptically.

"_Totally._" Ronnie assured them. "_She said she knows what Carl's like. I said he just walked out of my life. She didn't bat an eyelid._"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Katy demanded irritably.

"Because you didn't need to be involved." Her mother replied firmly. "You still don't."

Katy huffed and stood up. "I'm going to collect Rubes."

"I'll come with you."

The young woman shot her mother a scathing look. "I won't do anything stupid."

Ronnie rolled her eyes. "I'm not saying you will. I'm just offering to come with you."

"Whatever…"

"_You off?_" Roxy asked, returning from the toilets just in time to catch them.

"_Yeah, I've got some work to do down the gym _and Katy's going to collect Ruby."

"_Ron, look, just… watch yourself, alright?_" Roxy pleaded in a low voice.

"_You worry too much. Don't panic; we move forward, remember?_"

"I've gotta go or Jay and Abi'll give me earache." Katy muttered, moving towards the doors.

"I'll catch you up." Ronnie told her. "I just want to tell Carol about Dot."

Shoving her hands into her coat pockets, Katy stamped out of the pub. She paused for a moment on the pavement outside the Vic, before turning and walking down the alleyway past the park. She stopped opposite the Arches, staring at the shutters darkly and tugging her coat more tightly around her against the cold.

It was a long time later when the faint sounds of Carol shouting somewhere on the Square made her jump that Katy realised she was still standing on the same spot staring at the garage where either she or Ronnie had killed Carl. Shaking her head slightly, she turned and walked away.


	32. Chapter 32

"Katy!"

The brunette rolled over, rubbing her eyes and yawning. She couldn't quite work out where the excited tones of her aunt were coming from. Seconds later, however, her door flew open and Roxy launched herself through it and onto the bed.

"Get off!"

"I have wonderful news!"

"Again, get off!"

"We're buying a house!"

"What are you on about?" Katy demanded, pushing Roxy off her.

The blonde rolled straight onto the floor with a loud thump and a groan. Moments later, though, she popped back up and grinned at her niece. Katy arched a suspicious eyebrow, but allowed Roxy to climb back up beside her and make herself comfortable under the duvet.

"Me and Ronnie talked about it. I was trying to get a mortgage and buy a house, but because of my crappy credit record no one would touch me with a bargepole. So Ronnie said she'd help me. You, me, Ronnie, Amy and Rubes. We're gonna have a house of our own." Roxy gushed.

"That's amazing, but why did you feel the need to wake me up and tell me at…" She rolled over to check the time. "Fuck me! It's eleven in the morning?" Katy pushed back the covers and attempted to leap out of bed. "I need to get Ruby to nursery!"

Roxy shook her head, tugging on the brunette's arm and snuggling into her side. "Ronnie took her. She said you were knackered and needed the rest."

"Why?" Katy asked suspiciously.

"I dunno… don't argue. Embrace the lie in."

"I can't… I have things to do."

With a loud, theatrical sigh, the blonde rolled out of bed and moved towards the door. "Fine. Fine! I need to get on, anyway, chubs."

"Chubs?" Katy echoed, looking outraged.

Roxy smirked. "Don't deny it… you've been piling on weight since we went to Ibiza!"

"Have not." Her niece argued childishly, throwing her pillow after the blonde as she darted from the room.

Katy lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling and wondering why Ronnie had decided that she needed a lie in that particular morning. It wasn't that she was surprised by her mother's thoughtfulness, or that she wasn't grateful for it, but she was suspicious about the timing. Running a hand over her stomach, she frowned, irritated that Roxy might be right about her gaining weight and making up her mind to do something about it.

She got dressed and made herself a mug of coffee, thinking about going to the gym and starting to do something about her fitness. Then she changed her mind, flopping down on the sofa and looking forward to a day of doing nothing. Her plan was foiled, however, when Roxy reappeared with Lola in tow and announced that they were going for lunch.

"_We'll have to get a new kitchen once we get the new house._" Roxy mused as the trio walked slowly around the corner past the community centre and the park.

"_What, brand new?_" Lola asked, wrinkling her nose slightly.

"_Well, yeah. I don't want to think of Michael's bleeding corpse every time I stick the kettle on, do I?_"

"Gross, Rox." Katy complained, pulling a face.

They slowed and then stopped as they saw Ronnie scrubbing at the door to the gym with a scourer; bright red letters spelling out the word 'liar' clearly visible. Katy's eyes narrowed and she pulled her arm out of her aunt's and moved forward, laying a gentle hand on her mother's shoulder.

"Mum?"

"_Ron, what's happened?_"

"_Err… nothing!_" Ronnie said hastily. "_It's kids, that's all._"

"What, calling you a liar?" Katy pointed out, unconvinced.

"_Yeah. Why would kids write summit like that?_" Lola agreed.

"_Well, why would kids do anything?_" Roxy asked, clearly trying to make light of the situation. Then her face dropped and she stepped forward. "_Pass us the scrubber._"

"_No. It's fine. I'm handling it._"

Lola smiled. "_Come on. I didn't spend all day handing out leaflets for this place to stay shut._"

"_Open up, alright?_" Roxy urged gently. "_Let the boys pump iron or whatever it is they do. Everything's going to be OK._"

"_OK…_" Ronnie threw the scrubber at Lola, who caught it with a squeak. "Katy?"

Giving her a small nod, Katy grinned at Roxy and Lola who took over cleaning the door, before following her mother down into the gym. She went into the office and pulled the door closed behind them, before leaning heavily on the desk and giving the blonde a hard look.

"Who was it, Mum?"

"I don't know."

"Just tell me. Was it someone we know?"

"I honestly don't know, Katy." Ronnie assured her. "I heard a noise, I went to check it out and when I turned back… it was there. I didn't see who did it."

The young woman scowled. "I don't want you here on your own, Mum, especially at night. This time it was the door. Next time it… well next time it could be worse."

Ronnie smiled softly. "You're so sweet. I can handle myself, baby."

"No, you can't! I mean, I know you can handle yourself." Katy corrected herself quickly. "But I don't want you to have to. I don't want you to get hurt." Seeing that her mother was about to scoff at the thought, the brunette shook her head. "Imagine it was me. Would you be happy about me being here on my own?"

"No, of course not, but I–"

"So don't put me through that either." She begged. "Please, Mum."

With a deep sigh, Ronnie reached out and stroked Katy's cheek. "OK, sweetie." Getting up, she pressed a kiss to her cheek and moved towards the door. "Want a drink? I'll ask Lola to go and fetch us coffee from the caf."

"Sounds good." Her daughter agreed with a nod, moving round the desk and settling herself in Ronnie's recently vacated chair.

She riffled through the paperwork distractedly, before the sound of her mother's raised voice caught her attention. Her mind immediately darting back to the events that had made her nervous about Ronnie being here alone in the first place, Katy jumped out of the chair and was through the door into the main part of the gym in a second.

Ronnie was talking to a tall, well-built man on the other side of the room. The brunette didn't like the way he was looking at her mother and strode towards them with a scowl on her face. She folded her arms and glared at him.

"Problem?"

"_I'll get back to you on that one._" He smirked, looking her up and down, before striding past them and hurrying up the steps.

As soon as he was out of sight, Ronnie exhaled sharply. Katy grasped her forearm and squeezed it reassuringly. "See! This is why I don't want you here alone! He could have done anything!"

"OK, baby, OK." Ronnie agreed with a shaky sigh.

"No, Mum! I mean it!"

"So do I." She nodded. "I'll be careful, I promise." Then she shivered. "Let's get out of here, OK? Lunch?"

Katy nodded and led the way out of the gym. Ronnie locked up and then Katy pushed her arm through her mother's and squeezed it tightly. They were just about to go into the Vic, when Lola stopped them, looking pleadingly at the older Mitchell.

"_Ronnie… you couldn't do me a massive favour, could you?_" She asked hopefully.

"_Well, if it involves looking after this little one you know I'm going to jump at the chance._" Ronnie told her with a smile, crouching down to tickle Lexi's stomach.

"_Well, I've got this old client from the salon that wants her nails doing for some wedding and I'd only be a couple of hours._"

"_Yeah, yeah. Go on, take your time._" Ronnie agreed easily. "_Don't be surprised if you come back and find her getting all spoilt._"

"_Oh, thanks, Ronnie. You're a lifesaver!_" She grinned at Katy before waving at her daughter. "_Have fun with your Aunty Ronnie, then._"

"_Say bye, Mummy! See you later._"

"_See ya._"

Katy waved too, before her smile dropped at little and jealousy tugged at her insides. "So I guess lunch is off, then."

"I don't see why." Her mother said with a shrug. "Let's pick up Ruby and take them both to the park."

"OK." Katy agreed, turning and heading in the direction of the nursery.

They had a lovely afternoon feeding the ducks and playing on the swings and the slide with the two little girls. As they returned to the Square, they bumped into Roxy and the three women headed to look at their future house once again. Roxy babbled excitedly about what they could do with it; even down to planning what colour towels she was going to buy.

"_We're gonna be so happy here. I can feel it._" She sighed, staring up at the building.

Ronnie, who was crouching on the ground with Lexi, and Katy, who was holding her daughter by the hand, both nodded contentedly. There was something about the idea of the three of them having a house of their own, somewhere that was theirs, that made each of them feel calm and secure.

Katy was about to open her mouth to speak, when she felt Ruby's tiny hand being ripped out of her grasp. Turning immediately, she saw the same man who had been threatening her mother at the gym sprinting towards a range rover with Ruby under one arm and Lexi under the other.

Letting out a scream, the brunette started running after him, Ronnie and Roxy on her heels. They reached the car just in time to bang on the windows of the locked doors, before it sped away, screeching as it rounded the corner past the car lot.


	33. Chapter 33

Roxy practically manhandled a traumatised Katy in through the front door of number 55, pushing her into the living room where Phil was watching television. He switched it off at the appearance of the three women, looking between them warily.

Still holding her niece, who was bouncing erratically between tearful and furious, Roxy looked at Ronnie to explain the situation to their step-brother. Taking a deep breath and rubbing her hand over her forehead agitatedly, Ronnie looked at Phil.

"What's happened?"

"Some guy he… he's kidnapped Ruby and Lexi."

"You what?"

"_We were on the Square. He… he grabbed _them_. He got into a car before we could reach them._"

"_What are we going to do, alright? He could do anything with them. I mean anything!_"

Katy gasped tearfully, running her hands through her hair as her breath caught in her throat. "We have to do something! Now!"

"_Calm down!_" Ronnie ordered her daughter, rubbing her upper arms gently. "_Calm down. Just breathe. Breathe._"

"How can I calm down!" Katy snapped, turning away. "He's got my daughter!"

"I'm sorry… _Phil, I'm so sorry…_"

"_Don't be sorry!_" He snapped, turning redder and redder by the second. "_Just tell me who it was so I can find the geezer._"

"_He was in the gym earlier… I think he's connected to Carl._"

"_So all this is because you… you bumped off some two-bit gangster, init?_"

"_Look!_" Ronnie shouted as her daughter broke into a fresh wave of angry tears. "_He can't have taken them to hurt _them_, can he? He's got to have taken _them_ so that he's got something to bargain with!_"

"_Oh, and you know that for sure, do you, eh?_"

The blonde was about to reply when her mobile beeped. She was in such a rush to pull it out of her pocket that she fumbled and almost dropped the handset. "_Victoria Park, half an hour… Look, you can tear a strip off me later, alright?_" Ronnie told him, turning and walking quickly out of the room.

"_Roxy… Roxy. Roxy! You stay here and make sure Billy and Lola don't start asking questions._" Phil ordered. "Katy, you too."

"Fuck off." The brunette snapped, pushing past and following her mother out of the house. "Like I'm going to stay here when some knobhead has my daughter."

Roxy shouted angrily after them as they rushed out and slammed the door behind them. They piled into Phil's car and he shot away from the Square, breaking the speed limit almost immediately in his hurry to reach his granddaughter and step-great-niece. Katy perched on the back seat, leaning forward to look through the gap between the front seats for any sign of the man they were after.

Screeching to a halt outside the park, the trio leapt out of the car and ran through the iron gates, looking around wildly for the person who had summoned them. They had obviously arrived before them, because the park was deserted. Katy turned to her mother and Phil agitatedly.

"Where are they? Why aren't they here?"

"They will be, sweetie, I promise." Ronnie tried to soothe her.

"You can't promise that!"

"They're 'ere." Phil muttered, nodding towards the road where a man and a women were walking towards them, each carrying a toddler in their arms. "_As soon as you get a chance, you go for Lexi_ and Ruby. _I'll deal with the rest, alright?_"

The two women nodded and watched as the pair approached. The woman, holding Ruby on her hip, looked older. Katy guessed that she might be the man's mother. Then she remembered what Roxy and Ronnie had said about Carl's mother having been in touch. A quick glance at Ronnie told her that the blonde recognised her and she assumed that her assumption was correct.

"_Hand them over._" Phil ordered gruffly.

When they made no move to comply, Ronnie added, "_This is him asking nicely. Give it one more second… we'll see the alternative, shall we?_"

"_The last thing I'd ever do is snatch someone's kid from them._" The woman replied and Katy gritted her teeth at her tone. "_It's this great lump, here; ain't got the common sense he was born with. I told him not to, but would he listen?_"

"_Where's Carl?_"

"Give me my daughter!" Katy burst out, taking a step forward, unable to cope with being separated from the little girl for much longer. Ronnie laid a gentle hand on her arm.

"Mummy!" Ruby squealed, struggling to get free of the woman's grasp.

"_Shut your mouth and hand them over._" Phil growled at them in response to the toddler's whimpers. "_Come on._"

The pair exchanged a look and then the woman nodded. "_Go on._"

Stepping forward, they held out the two little girls, who were ripped from their grasp almost desperately. Katy buried her face in Ruby's hair, pressing kisses to her head as she clung on tightly. After a moment or two, the toddler started protesting, trying to turn her head to see what was going on.

"_Which isn't to say it would be wise just to walk away, 'cos like I said he's as thick as a short plank and he knows where you live._" The woman threatened. "_Are you gonna tell me your real name this time?_"

"_I'm Ronnie._" The blonde spat out. "_Ronnie Mitchell. Roxy's my sister._"

"_If Carl had just stuck with Kirsty, I could have had grandkids older than this one by now._"

"How is that our problem?" Katy hissed at her.

"Katy, shut it." Phil ordered.

"_But no, he goes off with some slapper!_" The woman continued as though the brunette hadn't even spoken.

"_Oi! You watch how you talk about my sister! D'you understand me?_"

"_They weren't right for each other, were they?_"

"_No, we're agreed about that at least._"

"_Carl ain't perfect, he's made mistakes, but he's my son. And I need to know where he is._"

"We don't know where he is." Katy told her firmly, laying a hand on Ronnie's arm warningly.

Carl's mother glanced at her briefly, before turning her gaze back on the blonde. She took several steps forward. "_Just tell me what you know. We'll go as soon as we've got the truth. You won't hear from us again. Please!_"

"Like we said, we don't know." The young brunette repeated, sending her mother a look. She could see that Ronnie's mind was working overtime and she was starting to weaken.

"_You wouldn't have a mother not knowing where her son is?_"

"Mum…"

"_He's dead…_" Ronnie whispered. Everyone looked at her. Katy and Phil exchanged a look, before returning their gaze to the blonde. "_Carl's dead, alright?_"

Exchanging yet another look with Phil, Katy pushed her mother towards the gates, following as her step-uncle led the way back towards the car. They sped up as they heard the sound of footsteps behind them.

"_Sorry, Phil!_" Ronnie apologised. "_It just came out!_"

"_Just keep walking, right?_"

They were almost at Phil's car when Carl's brother grabbed Ronnie by the wrist and pulled her back. "_You're a liar!_"

"_Oi, oi! Back off, you._"

"_Listen, I have told you everything you need to know, alright? It's over._"

"_Of course it's not over. How d'you know he's dead? What happened?_"

"_Just let go of her, now!_"

"Get the girls in the car, Phil." Katy ordered in a hard voice. She looked at him carefully and he nodded, turning to buckle Lexi into her car seat, before taking Ruby from her mother's arms and securing her in the vehicle too. "Let her go."

Carl's brother released his grip on Ronnie's arm and Katy propelled her towards the car, sending her a small smile. Pushing her towards the passenger's side, Katy was about to open the door for her, when Carl's mother spoke again.

"_Please. Please, if he is dead, if he really is dead… just please!_"

"_Just move it, will you!_" Phil snapped, looking over the top of the car at the two women.

"_Phil, look at her, alright? She wants to know what happened. She needs to know what happened._"

"Mum, don't…" Katy warned.

Ronnie looked at her for a moment, before turning away. "_Carl was out of control, alright? He put him in hospital. He terrorised my sister! He turned on me when I tried to get him away from her._ He threatened my daughter!" She screamed. "_You're his mother! You should know what he was like! Carl's gone! Carl's gone and he's never coming back!_"

Katy pulled forcefully on the back of Ronnie's jacket, dragging her back towards the car. Phil came to help, bundling her into the front passenger's seat and slamming the door. He indicated that Katy should get into the back, while he rounded the bonnet and slid into the driver's seat. He started the engine at once and sped away from the curb.

None of them spoke as Phil drove them back to Albert Square. Katy clenched and unclenched her fists in her lap, unable to even look at anyone else. She could hear Ronnie sobbing quietly in the front, but she couldn't bring herself to say or do anything to try and comfort her mother.


	34. Chapter 34

When they pulled up outside the house, Katy climbed out before anyone could say anything. She unbuckled Ruby's seatbelt and pulled her daughter onto her hip, clutching her tightly. Avoiding meeting anyone's eyes, she followed her mother inside, biting her lip to prevent herself from saying anything she'd regret.

"_Hello?_" Ronnie put on a calm, cheerful voice as they entered the living room. "_I thought you'd already be here._"

"_See? I told you they'd be back any minute, didn't I?_"

"_Yeah… thanks for doing that, Ronnie. Hey, miss! It's Mummy! Good girl. Say thank you!_"

"_Here's her hat…_" The older woman said with a smile, handing the toddler over to her mother.

"_Oh, ta. I'll see you lot later, then. Bye._"

They all smiled at Lola as she made her way out of the house. As soon as the back door shut with a loud click, the smiles dropped immediately.

"_Phil, it is not all her fault._" Roxy tried to defend her sister.

"_You, just shut your mouth and you, over the Arches, now._"

"_Anything you've got to say, you can say it here._"

Phil scoffed. "_What? With Amy upstairs and Sharon just about to come home? I don't think so. Over the Arches._ You too, Katy."

"Can you watch Ruby?" Katy asked, looking at her aunt and completely ignoring her mother.

"Yeah, course." Roxy agreed, looking confused at her coldness towards the older blonde.

Nodding, Katy handed over her daughter and turning to follow Phil out of the house. She didn't bother to wait for her mother, who sighed. Then she assured Roxy she'd be fine and traced Katy's steps.

"What was she thinking?" Phil demanded as soon as Katy walked through the Arches doors.

The brunette shrugged. "I dunno, Phil! I'm not her keeper!"

He scowled as Ronnie appeared, slamming the metal doors with more ferocity than was necessary. Almost before he turned around, Ronnie was opening her mouth to defend her actions.

"_Look, if I'd known they were going to come after Lexi and Ruby, I would never… I would never have…_"

"_What? What, eh? You wouldn't have killed Carl?_"

"That wasn't all her fault, was it?" Katy pointed out. "It wasn't her…"

"Katy!" Ronnie shook her head. "_No. I would never have lied to Mrs White about being Roxy. I underestimated her._"

"_You were supposed to keep your head down. You were supposed to run the gym and get me my money back. Instead of that, you go shooting your mouth off and starting a war. I mean… they know that you did it. What? You think they're going to say no more about it and leave it at that?_"

"_I never intended to say anything, alright? I dunno, I just… She wanted to know what happened to her son. There was a part of me that I felt like I owed it to her._"

Phil went red with fury. "_Are you stupid, or what?_" He bellowed.

"_Look! She is an old woman, alright? She's got a thug of a son… they can't touch us._"

"_Us? Us? No, Ronnie, no._" Phil shook his head. "_No, this ain't a Mitchell thing. This is a Ronnie thing…_ a Ronnie and Katy thing."

Katy turned to look at her step-uncle in shock. "You what?"

"_Oh… oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realise we were only family when I suited you._"

"_You crossed the line with Carl._ The pair of you. _And when this comes back to bite you, which it will, don't expect me to back you up. Do you understand?_"

"_Whatever's coming, I can handle it._"

"_Yeah, yeah, yeah… you and whose army, eh?_"

"Me." Katy told him defiantly. "I've got through this before and I'll do it again; with or without your help."

"Go ahead…"

Glaring at him, the brunette stormed out of the garage, her mother trailing after her. Ronnie laid her hand on Katy's arm, but the young woman shook her off irritably.

"What the hell were you thinking?" She spat out. "Phil's right… this isn't his problem. Yes, he should have our backs, but can you really blame him? I wasn't willing to risk myself for Ben, why would he risk himself for us?"

"I'm sorry, I…"

Letting out a deep sigh, the younger woman shook her head. "I don't want you to be sorry, Mum. Just… keep your head down, OK? Don't do anything."

"Alright, alright!"

"What are you gonna do now?"

"Go to the gym… I've got paperwork to do."

"I'll come with you."

Ronnie glared at her. "I don't need babysitting."

Katy shrugged. "I wasn't offering to babysit you. I just thought you might appreciate some company, but if not–"

"No, I… I'm sorry."

"Stop saying that." The brunette ordered. "It's getting boring."

Ronnie chuckled, earning herself a grin from her daughter. Tentatively she reached out and pulled Katy towards her. Rolling her eyes, Katy wound her arms around the blonde and hugged her tightly.

"I've got your back, Mum." She promised. "We'll be fine."

Once they got to the gym, Ronnie was obviously in no fit state to look through the books that she needed to check through, so Katy volunteered to do it instead. Gratefully, the blonde wandered out into the main room and watched the punters working out for a while. Katy kept her mind focused on the accounts, only glancing up every now and again to check that Ronnie was still there.

When she looked up and found her mother chatting to the Market Inspector, her eyes narrowed. She watched them with a curled lip, not liking the way Aleks was looking at Ronnie. Clearly Ronnie wasn't impressed, either, because she turned and walked purposefully towards the office.

"… _if you did have a bad boyfriend, we could… you know… sort him out for you._" Aleks was offering.

"_And what if it wasn't a bad boyfriend I wanted sorting out?_" Ronnie asked. "_What if it was someone else?_"

"_Whatever you need._" He told her with a wink. "_Any time._"

"You cannot be serious." Katy hissed, shaking her head and curling her lip at the retreating form of the man. "He is gross and creepy. Do not even think about asking him for anything."

"But what if he could get the Whites off our backs for good?"

"No!"

Ronnie sighed. "OK, fine."

"Please, Mum, don't do anything that'll draw more attention to us. We'll sort it, OK?"

With a nod, the blonde turned and left the office again, leaving her daughter staring after her and hoping beyond hope that Ronnie wasn't about to do something stupid.

x-x

Max hadn't text Katy and she refused to contact him first. She bumped into Lauren the next day, while she was picking up coffees for herself and Ronnie at the café, who informed her that her dad was busy with Alice's trial. Katy assumed that was why she hadn't heard anything, although she couldn't really blame him for his mind being elsewhere if that was the case.

Putting the takeaway cup of coffee on the desk in front of her mother, Katy dropped into the chair opposite and took a slurp of her drink. Almost immediately she screwed up her face in disgust and set it down.

"Eurgh… that's vile."

Ronnie frowned, taking a sip of her own coffee. Then, confused, she reached across and took a tentative sip of her daughter's. "Tastes fine to me."

"No way. There's definitely something off."

"Yeah…" Ronnie narrowed her eyes, sweeping her gaze over her daughter suspiciously. "I don't think it's the coffee, though."

"Huh?"

"Is there something you want to–" The blonde started. She was interrupted by Phil, who entered the office and shut the door firmly behind him. "_Phil, what can I do for you?_"

"_Well for a start you can take that stupid look off your face and stop pretending we ain't got a problem._" He told her bluntly.

"_Problem?_"

"_The Whites?_"

"_I don't think we're going to hear from them anymore._"

"_You told the woman you killed her son. You think she's just going to walk away from that, do ya?_" He asked incredulously.

Ronnie didn't meet his eyes, keeping her gaze firmly trained on the surface of her desk. "_I'll deal with it._"

"_Nah, nah, nah…_" Phil shook his head, looking down at Katy. "_You don't do anything. You've caused enough problems already. I'll deal with it. Just like I always do._"

He turned and left, neglecting to shut the office door as he went. The sounds of the punters training drifted through and Katy was worried to see a thoughtful expression on her mother's face. She watched carefully as Ronnie's eyes moved to the open doorway, fixing on something outside.

"Mum… what are you thinking?"

"You'll see."

"No, seriously, what are you–?"

"You'll find out soon enough." The blonde told her with a smile, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as she walked past, pulling the door closed behind her.


	35. Chapter 35

"Oi, Katy!" Phil shouted as Katy pushed Ruby's pram across the Square that evening. She paused and waited for him to catch up with her, arching an eyebrow questioningly as he looked around to make sure there was no one close enough to overhear them. "You wanna keep an eye on Ronnie, yeah?"

"What are you on about?"

"She put Adam White in hospital today."

Katy laughed in disbelief. "You what?"

He scowled. "Well, not her, obviously. She got someone else to do it for her. But who knows what she's gonna do next. If you ain't careful she'll get you and her banged up before you know it."

"I bet you'd love that." She snapped irritably.

"Course I wouldn't." Phil replied at once. "Whatever I said, you're family, ain't ya? Mitchells look out for each other. Besides, my mum would never forgive me if I stood back and let the pair of you go down for a piece of scum like Carl White."

"Good to know."

"Just keep an eye on her, alright?"

The young woman stood and watched as he stomped away towards number 55. She was concerned about her mother, even more so now that Phil had mentioned it, but she was slightly relieved that he had retracted his threat that they were on their own. Even though Katy was sure that they would have been able to hold their own and keep themselves out of trouble, knowing that they had the Mitchells behind them made things a little easier.

Letting herself into the flat, Katy heard the tell-tale sounds of conversation in the living room and walked in with Ruby balanced on her hip to see Ronnie and Roxy curled up on the sofa with Amy between them. The younger blonde grinned at her niece and held her arms out to the toddler. Ruby almost launched herself through the air, catching Katy by surprise and almost causing her to drop her daughter.

"Can I have a word?" She asked her mother, nodding her head towards the kitchen. Ronnie nodded curtly and untangled herself from the pile of limbs on the sofa. When they were alone, the brunette arched an eyebrow. "What did you do?"

"I taught Adam White a lesson he won't forget in a hurry." Ronnie replied calmly, reaching past Katy to flick the kettle on. "I was protecting my family and I'd do it again." She turned a fierce eye on her daughter. "Don't start, Katy."

The young woman sighed. "I just don't want you to do something stupid and get yourself into trouble."

"I won't. It's over."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Ronnie agreed with a nod. Then, apparently eager to change the subject, she turned a suspicious eye on her daughter. "As I was asking earlier, is there anything you want to tell me?"

Katy frowned in confusion. "No?"

"Really? Serious weight gain, going off coffee, all that weird nausea you had in Spain?"

"You think I'm pregnant?" Katy asked with a disbelieving laugh. "Are you kidding?"

"You're not then?"

"No!"

"You're sure?"

There was a slight moment of hesitation. "Yes."

"No, you're not sure, are you?" Ronnie demanded.

"Well, I haven't done a test or anything…" Katy admitted. "But I… I'm not…"

"Who's is it?"

"Mum!"

The older woman shrugged, trying to look casual. "Tell me."

"Mum… I don't even know if… drop it, alright?"

"You're right." Ronnie agreed with a broad smile, pulling her into a hug. "It doesn't matter who the dad is. You've done brilliantly with Ruby on your own and you'll have me and Roxy to help you. They'll be so excited–"

Katy paled at the thought of other people finding out. "No! Mum, no! You can't say anything to anyone; at least until we know for sure."

"Why?"

"Because if you go around telling people I'm pregnant and I'm not, that's gonna be so embarrassing." Katy pointed out.

Ronnie sighed deeply and nodded her agreement. She chatted about how they'd have to get on to buying the house quickly so that they could be settled and have everything perfect before Katy was too far along. Leaning against the counter Katy's mind was completely focusing on panicking about the circumstances surrounding her possible pregnancy.

She hadn't even thought about it before, but now there was no denying that Ronnie could be right. The only possible father was Max and that, in itself, opened up a whole new set of problems. Not only was he her step-dad's brother, but he was also her best friend's dad. If she was pregnant, her baby would be Lauren's brother or sister.

"… it's better to know for definite."

"Huh?" The brunette looked up when she realised that Ronnie was looking directly at her.

"I was just saying that I'll take you to the doctor tomorrow to find out for definite. It's better to check it professionally… get it all sorted straight away."

"Sorted?"

"Well depending on how far along you are they can book you straight in for your scans and things."

Katy nodded distractedly. "Oh, yeah, right…"

Ronnie paused, frowning lightly at her. "You are… happy… about this, aren't you?"

"I didn't exactly plan it, Mum."

"Yeah, but… you do want this baby?"

"I… I don't know?" Katy admitted. "I'm sure I will but… at the moment, I… I just need to know for definite I guess, before…"

"This is a sign, baby." Ronnie told her, pushing her hair back behind her ears and cupping her face. "It's a sign that things are going to be fine. Better than fine. Things are going to be amazing."

She pressed a kiss to Katy's forehead before shooting her a broad smile and leaving the kitchen. The younger woman sank down at the kitchen table and buried her head in her hands, desperately hoping that her mother's hunch was wrong.

x-x

"Can you just drop it for a minute?" Katy muttered, pushing the door to the laundrette open more violently than she intended to. "Seriously, Mum, just leave it."

"But it's important."

"Yes, fine, but not right now, OK?"

"But–"

"Mum!"

Ronnie rolled her eyes and nodded, dropping the bag of washing she was carrying on the floor in the corner. Katy followed, putting down her own bag beside her mother's and leaning against the washers behind them.

"_Yes, I know, Son._" Dot sighed into the phone. "_I know you're all very busy with that trial. But, you see, I need to know the numbers for the food to tell Ian and 'maybe' ain't good enough for him… Oh… Oh, right. Yes, I understand… bye._" Hanging up the phone sadly, Dot turned and caught sight of the two Mitchells waiting for her. "_You'll come, won't you, Ronnie?_ Katy?"

"_Hmm?_" Ronnie's attention was fixed on something through the open door of the laundrette and her daughter had to nudge her in the ribs to get her attention.

"_Nick's funeral. You and Roxy? You'll come, won't you?_"

"_Can we talk later, Dot? Excuse me._" The blonde asked distractedly, her eyes still fixed on the doorway. "Katy, sort the washing."

As she rushed out of the building, Katy smiled apologetically at the older woman. "Sorry, Grandma. Course we'll be there."

Unable to just shove the washing in one of the machines and escape, Katy went into the back and put the kettle on. She talked through the details of Nick's funeral and the problems that were on her mind about the organisation at the moment. Half-heartedly promising that she would help out here she could, Katy managed to excuse herself when FatBoy walked through the door.

Bianca pointed her along the road when Katy asked if the red-head had spotted Ronnie, so the young woman headed in the direction of the gym. As she descended the stairs, the sound of her mother's angry, almost hysterical voice, met her ears and she winced, wondering what had happened now.

"… _I'm going to have to relive every single little detail of what he did to me. Is that what you want? You're going to have to sit there and listen to your beloved daddy be torn to shreds. But if you think you can handle that, go ahead! Call them!_"

There was a long, tense silence where the two blonde stared at each other and Katy was almost too scared to breathe. Then Roxy shook her head and stalked towards the doors, jerking her shoulders in an approximation of a shrug as she walked past her niece.

"Mum, what–?"

"Not now, Katy."

"But–"

"Not now!" Ronnie snapped, striding into her office and slamming the door behind her.


	36. Chapter 36

"Are you ready yet?" Ronnie yelled up the stairs from her position by the front door. There was a loud sigh and a clattering of heels on the staircase as her daughter almost fell down them in her haste to join her at the bottom. "The hearse will be here soon."

"OK, OK!" Katy muttered, grabbing her jacket off the hooks and following Ronnie through the door.

Quickly they made their way around to Dot's house, taking their place along the wall with everyone else who was there to support the woman. When Dot appeared through her front door, walking along the pavement to get into the car that would take her to her son's funeral, she paused and smiled weakly at the mother and daughter.

She didn't speak, however, and neither Katy nor Ronnie could think of anything to say to her. Instead they silently watched Dot continue her route to the car parked behind the hearse containing Nick's coffin.

Katy wasn't sure whether she trusted the man who'd shown up with news of Nick's death, claiming to be Dot's grandson. She couldn't deny that he appeared to be doing a lot to help her and support her through the difficult time, but she was still suspicious about the timing.

"_Where's Sharon?_" Ronnie asked Phil as they headed round to where she'd parked her car.

Phil didn't answer and the blonde didn't break her stride long enough to prompt him to do so. Ronnie waited until Katy was buckled into the passenger's seat and then took off around the Square. The brunette knew that her mother hated funerals, but she was still a little taken aback by the apparent anger that accompanied her driving.

"You alright?" She asked tentatively as Ronnie almost screeched to a halt outside the crematorium.

"Fine." The blonde agreed shortly. "Come on, they'll be here in a minute."

Nodding slowly, Katy followed her into the building and took a seat beside her in the back row. It was easier, somehow, the service not being in a church. Although the end result was the same and they were there for the same reason, being at the crematorium didn't upset either Mitchell as much as being in the church would have.

As Phil took a seat beside Shirley, Katy nudged her mother in the ribs, receiving an arched eyebrow and knowing look from Ronnie in response.

"I bet Bimbo Barbie will do her nut when she gets here and sees that." The younger woman muttered.

"I can't wait." Ronnie replied, smirking spitefully.

The funeral started well, but everything went downhill when Ian realised he'd lost his speech about Nick. Jane saved the day and Katy was glad, for Dot's sake. In the end, though, Ian managed to make something up and the funeral continued and ended as well as it could have.

Afterwards, Ronnie was all for going straight home, but Katy convinced her to at least show her face at the wake in the Vic. Reluctantly the blonde agreed and they waited at the bar to be served. Squeezing her mother's arm, Katy nodded her head towards Dot and wandered away to speak to the older woman.

"Grandma… I'm so sorry." She said, not really knowing what to say now she was faced with the grieving woman. "I don't really know what…"

"It's alright, dear." Dot told her with a weak smile. "Thank you for coming. I appreciate it. You have much more important things to do with your time."

"No. You're too important to me for that to be true. To Mum, too."

"Bless you."

Helping Dot over to a seat, Katy sat beside her, keeping her company for a while. She shot suspicious looks towards the bar where her mother was talking to Charlie, Dot's new-found grandson.

Finally, Linda served her and Ronnie carried their drinks over, along with another sherry for Dot. At first the woman refused, but then she succumbed and sipped slowly on her drink. The afternoon carried on peacefully until, inevitably, Phil couldn't resist getting a dig in at Ian.

They listened, Katy tempted to cover her face with her hand in shame, as they argued and sniped at each other. She cringed when Dot stepped in, moving towards them with devastation plain on her face.

"_Has everybody forgotten him already?_" She asked. "_Only I ain't heard a word about my Nick. No one's ever mentioned his name. I know that none of you really knew him and you're only here for me, not for him. And even the two of you what did know him… Sharon, Ian… you was babies when he was my dear boy and you only really remember him when he was taken over by the drugs and everybody shunned him. The Prodigal Son. And he said, 'Father, I am not worthy to be thy son. Make me as one of thy hired servants.' And he repented._" Dot shook her head. "_But my Nick? He never repented and he didn't come home of his own accord. He come home in a coffin._"

There was a long, painful silence. Dot stared into space, caught up in her own memories while everyone else shifted uncomfortably and glared between Phil and Ian.

"Grandma?" Katy asked softly, stepping forward and touching the woman lightly on the arm.

Dot jumped and looked around wildly. "_Charlie? Take me home, Charlie. I'm sorry… I'm sorry, it's all over. It's finished._" She noticed Cora walking towards her with a photo of Nick in her hand. "_Give me that! How dare you? Charlie…_"

As soon as the doors closed behind her, Phil and Ian were at each other again. Katy shook her head and leant back in the booth, letting their argument wash over her. She felt terrible about Dot, but didn't know how she could make it better. Deciding to let her grieve on her own for a while and visit later, or perhaps the next day, Katy smiled at her Mum and Roxy who had come to join them instead.

Time ticked passed slowly and the pub began to empty. Ronnie excused herself to go to the toilet and Katy slipped outside to phone Lola to check on Ruby and Amy, who were at their cousins' flat. When they returned, Roxy shook her head at them, apparently in disbelief.

"_Here you are._" She said, pushing drinks along the bar to them. "_Listen. FatBoy's just been in. He said that Dot has gone back to the crematorium to see Nick. Like… physically see Nick._"

"_Did he try and stop her?_"

"_I don't know._"

"_Be glad you weren't there, Roxy._" Ronnie said with a sigh. "_The crematorium was practically empty. Everything about it was just awful._"

"_Well, I'll forgive Dot for losing the plot, then._"

Ronnie scowled at her sister; an expression mirrored by her daughter. "_She didn't lose the plot. Everything she said was absolutely right. And why not go back and see him if she wants to? Letting go is the hardest thing you'll ever have to do._"

"_You know what, Ron, maybe you shouldn't have gone today._" Roxy told her softly.

"_I know… I just thought maybe I could help in some way... maybe I could say something…_" She shook her head and then smiled at the brunette beside her. "I think Katy was more of a comfort to Dot than me, though."

"_But you can't!_" Roxy interrupted, shaking her head. "_You can't. There's nothing… there's nothing that helps, I know. I've tried._"

Ronnie smiled weakly and then pushed away from the bar. "_I'm gonna go._"

"_Where you going?_" Roxy demanded, worriedly. "_Come on, Ron._"

"'_Come on, Ron' what?_" The older sister asked, almost coldly.

"_You're going to see Stacey._"

"What?" Katy demanded, looking between the older Mitchells in confusion. "What the hell? Stacey? Stacey Slater?"

"_Actually–_"

"_I thought you were gonna drop all this._" Roxy said irritably. "_It's my birthday tomorrow, yeah? So, if you were stuck on what to get me for a gift, you could leave her well alone. Now that, __**that**__, would be the perfect present, Ron._"

"_I am going to see Dot. I'm gonna to see if she's back, yet._" Ronnie said bluntly. "_Look, I'm not going to see Stacey. I promise! Just… stop worrying alright? I'll see you _both_ later._"

With a quick hug and a kiss to both of them, she grabbed her bag and walked out of the pub. Roxy glanced at her niece and sighed, before leading her other to a booth and proceeding to explain what was going on between Ronnie and the woman who had killed Archie.


	37. Chapter 37

Time passed and Katy continued avoiding her mother's attempts to get her to either take a pregnancy test or go to the doctor's. Trying to get things back to normal, the young woman had given in to Max's pestering and rekindled their secret relationship. She couldn't shake the feeling, however, that he was acting strangely; hiding his phone and ending calls quickly after glancing at the display.

It took the Mitchell a lot longer than she was comfortable admitting to realise what was going on. Finally, though, all the phone calls and cancelled meetings and shifty behaviour made sense. Max was cheating on her.

The realisation that their affair wasn't enough to keep him from straying even further fuelled her into a furious showdown with the man, involving screaming and shouting and throwing of breakable objects. As the photo frame on his office desk sailed through the air, narrowly missing Max's head, Katy slammed her way out of the car lot office and across the Square.

"What's the matter with you?" Ronnie asked as the front door banged loudly and her daughter appeared in the living room.

"Nothing."

The blonde frowned. "Clearly something's the matter."

"Just leave it!" Katy snapped, dropping onto the sofa beside her five-year-old cousin and pulling her two-year-old daughter onto her lap. "I don't wanna talk about it!"

With a shrug, Ronnie turned away, picking up her bag from the table. "Fine. Whatever." She glanced between the girls on the sofa. "Can you watch Amy for a while, please?"

"Why? Where's Roxy?"

"I'm just going to pick her up now." Ronnie said calmly, moving to press a kiss to each of the trio of heads. "There was a problem with the tube."

Katy made a sound that could almost be taken as acquiescence and her mother smirked, waving at Amy and Ruby as she left the house to collect her sister. For a couple of moments they sat in silence, watching the cartoons that the two little girls had been watching before Katy arrived.

Then Amy turned to her cousin, scrutinising her carefully. Katy tried to ignore the younger Mitchell, keeping her gaze focused on the antics of SpongeBob and Patrick instead. Finally the sensation of eyes burning into the side of her head made her sigh and she turned to glare at Amy.

"What, monster munch?"

"Mummy said you're not allowed to call me that."

"Fine. What, Princess Amy?"

"Auntie Ronnie's still sad about her babies that are in heaven."

Katy frowned at her. "What?"

"I asked her. She said that she still misses them." Amy replied innocently, her eyebrows furrowing a little as she remembered the expression that had twisted her aunt's features during the conversation. "Why?"

Taking a deep breath, the young woman bit her lip and wondered how to reply. "When you love someone a lot and they die, you don't forget about them. You always think about them and so you don't stop loving them. It's like they're just a long way away." She scrunched up her face. "Like your daddy. You miss him, right?" Amy nodded. "Well Auntie Ronnie misses James and her other baby."

"But the other baby wasn't even born…"

"It doesn't matter." Katy assured her cousin with a smile. One hand dropped unconsciously to her stomach. "It was still Auntie Ronnie's baby."

"Oh… OK."

"But… you shouldn't ask people questions like that, Ames… especially not Auntie Ronnie."

The little girl frowned, tilting her head slightly as she looked at her cousin. "Why?"

"Because it upsets people… I don't like Auntie Ronnie being upset, so… just don't, OK?"

"Why?"

"Stop being annoying."

"But why don't you like Auntie Ronnie being upset?"

Katy sighed deeply. "Because she's my mum, sweetheart." She said softly. "You don't like your mum being upset, do you?" Amy shook her head. "And I don't like my mum being upset, either. So please, please don't ask her about her babies again."

"OK." The little girl agreed seriously, nodding her head.

Amy turned back to face the television. A moment later she scooted closer to Katy on the sofa. Then she lifted her cousin's arm and squeezed herself underneath it, cuddling into the young woman's side.

x-x

Katy was just coming out of her old bedroom in number 55, where she had just persuaded Amy and Ruby to settle down and go to sleep, when she heard the sound of the back door opening and the unmistakable sound of her aunt's voice as Roxy entered the kitchen. Sighing, the young woman descended the staircase, making her way towards the sound and finding the blonde standing with her arms folded across her chest looking irritable.

"Keep it down, yeah? I've just got the girls to go to sleep."

"Where's your Mum?"

"I dunno… She said she was going to pick you up 'cos there was a problem with the tube or summit." Katy said with a shrug, shooting a dirty look at Aleks, who had followed the blonde into the house.

"_Wow… this is gold standard; even for Ronnie._" Roxy snapped, shaking her head and slamming her keys down onto the counter.

"What?"

"She never turned up, did she? She probably had something better to do."

"What is your problem? Mum dropped everything to come and get you."

Roxy snorted. "Yeah, right."

"Whatever." Katy growled, slamming the cup she had just picked up onto the kitchen table and pushing past them out of the back door, slamming it behind her.

She strode across the Square, heading straight for the Vic. It was still early, but she didn't care. Making her way straight to the bar, she ordered a double vodka and lemonade and drained it in one go. Motioning for Nancy to refill her glass, Katy pointedly ignored her searching gaze and looked around the pub instead. When Nancy pushed the drink in her direction, the brunette paid her and walked away to sit in one of the booths.

Katy clutched her glass protectively, staring broodingly at the liquid. She drank it much more slowly than her last drink, taking her time. Her mind wandered between all the things that were bothering her at that moment; Ronnie, Roxy, Max, her possible pregnancy. She knew she shouldn't be drinking, but she needed something to take the edge off the way she was feeling.

"What's wrong with you?"

Katy looked up as Lauren dropped into the booth beside her. "Huh?"

"You? What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

The younger woman snorted. "Don't lie. You've got a face like a smacked arse. What's happened?"

"Roxy and Mum… they're doing my head in."

"When aren't they?" Lauren asked with a sharp shrug of her shoulders. She took a sip of her drink. "You'll be over that by the time you get home."

"Yeah… maybe."

"Anyway." Lauren grinned at her. "We're having this open day thing at the flats on Walford Common for LB lettings… you'll come, right?"

"I dunno…"

Rolling her eyes, the younger girl nudged her. "Hey! I know you still don't like Lucy, but come for me, right? You are my best mate, ain't ya?"

"Lor…"

"Please?"

Katy sighed and shrugged. "Fine… maybe. I'll see."

Lauren beamed. "Brilliant!"


	38. Chapter 38

The next day, Katy was crossing the Square with Ruby on her way to pick Amy up from school, when she spotted Lucy leaving the car lot office. The blonde looked quickly around, as though checking whether anyone was watching, before straightening the jacket that was part of her uniform and walking quickly away. A second or two later, Max appeared, lighting a cigarette and leaning against the wall of the cabin as he watched her progress across the Square.

He caught Katy's eyes and jumped slightly, as though alarmed by her gaze. Taking one last drag of his cigarette, he dropped it on the floor and disappeared back inside the cabin office. The young woman narrowed her eyes at his behaviour, before flicking her gaze back to where Lucy had disappeared round the corner.

"Oh my god…"

"Go Amy sool?" Ruby babbled from her pushchair.

"What?" Katy snapped, distracted by the thought that had just struck her, her eyes still fixed on the cabin.

"We go Amy sool now?"

"Oh…" The young mum nodded and reached down to ruffle her daughter's hair. "Yeah, baby, we're gonna go and get Amy from school."

"We go now?"

"Yes, Ruby, now." Katy agreed, pulling herself together and forcing herself to walk in the direction of Walford Primary.

As she waited outside the Reception classroom for the door to open and the teacher to start sending the children out, she chewed on her lip, trying to reconcile her thoughts with what she had seen at the car lot. Suddenly she was convinced that Max and Lucy were having an affair.

"Katy… Katy!" Amy tugged on her arm to draw her attention back. "Mrs Johnson wants to talk to you."

"Why? What've you done?"

The little girl pouted. "Nothing! I promise!"

Katy sighed and smoothed her hair. "I was joking, kid."

Manoeuvring Ruby's pushchair towards the door, Katy waited until the teacher had finished talking to another parent, before smiling weakly and waiting for whatever was about to be thrown at her. She couldn't tell from the woman's face what she wanted to talk to her about.

"I was just wondering whether Ms Mitchell got the letter about parents' evening." Mrs Johnson asked. "We sent them out a week ago and we haven't had the slip returned yet."

"Oh, right… I dunno, sorry. I'll ask her about it when I get home."

"I understand that things are difficult at home, so if–"

"What?" Katy snapped, her eyes narrowing. "What d'you mean?"

"Well," she glanced over to where the two little girls were distractedly chattering away to each other, "Amy's told us about her mum's new boyfriend and your mother's dislike of him."

"That's… that's none of your business."

"She also mentioned something about a recent car accident?"

Katy glared at her five-year-old cousin, making a mental note to remind Amy to keep her mouth shut in future. "It's nothing. Our cousin ran out in front of a car… but she's fine."

"Amy needs a stable home life. Her chaotic lifestyle is evident in the erratic nature of the progress she's making in school."

"There is nothing wrong with Amy's home life." The young woman assured the teacher firmly. "She gets everything she needs and, let's face it, the kid is spoilt. Besides, she's a smart kid."

"I just think–"

"You wanna keep your opinion to yourself and your nose out of what don't concern you, right? There ain't nothing wrong with my family."

Turning abruptly, Katy lifted Amy onto her hip and started pushing Ruby's pushchair, one handed, towards the gates out of the school. She was fuming at the teacher's unspoken accusation that there was something lacking in the way Amy was being raised. Roxy and Ronnie did their best to keep whatever dramas they were embroiled in this week away from the little girl and it was slightly disconcerting to hear that Amy had cottoned on to the tension between the two blondes, let alone that she had said something about it in school.

Once they had left the school grounds, Katy set Amy down and held her hand instead. She swung their arms between them gently, before shooting her a look. Dramatically, the small blonde sighed and rolled her eyes, apparently knowing that she was about to receive a lecture.

"Whatever she told you, I didn't do it." Amy assured her cousin before Katy had even opened her mouth.

The brunette laughed. "You're a cheeky little mare, ain't ya?"

"It's synthetic."

Katy laughed again. "You mean genetic, sweetie."

"It's genetic." Amy corrected herself with a firm nod.

"Listen… you can't go round telling everyone our business, OK?" Katy told her seriously. "Your Mum and Aunty Ronnie would be annoyed if they knew you'd been telling people about their arguments. Uncle Phil would be really angry too."

"I didn't!"

"You must have, babe. How else would she know about Aleks? Or Lola's accident?"

Amy pulled a face. "Aleks is weird."

"I know."

"Is Lola OK?"

Katy nodded and smiled reassuringly. "Yeah. I spoke to mum before I came to get you. She's still in the hospital, but she's going to be fine. They should be home soon."

"Why did Aunty Ronnie run her over? Was she naughty?"

"No!" The young woman shook her head vehemently. "It was an accident. Lola ran out into the road in front of Aunty Ronnie's car. That's why you have to always look before you cross the road. Cars can't always stop in time if you just run across the road."

"OK." Amy agreed easily. "Can I go over to Tiff's?"

"I don't know… Aunty Carol isn't well." Her cousin reminded her, looking quickly before tugging the little girl across the road with her. "We'll have to see if she's well enough."

With a nod of her head, Amy started skipping along beside her chattering happily about various topics. With the need for two-sided conversation over, Katy returned to brooding, wondering what to make of the sight that had greeted her at the car lot. Her mind had immediately jumped to the conclusion that Max and Lucy had been having an affair. But then she started questioning it. There was something going on between Lucy and Lee Carter. But did that mean that her first idea had been wrong?

"Katy!" Amy smacked her hard on the arm to get her attention.

"What?"

"Mummy!"

Following her cousin's pointing finger, Katy saw her aunt rushing across the Square from the direction of number 55. She was chasing the briskly walking figure of Aleks, who appeared to be in a bad mood. Katy shrugged.

"It's fine, Ames."

"Why's mummy running?"

"I dunno."

Almost as though her daughter's voice was like a beacon, Roxy's head whirled round and she almost glared at her niece. "Your mother is a nutter."

Katy sighed. "What did she do this time?"

"She chucked Aleks out. He wasn't even doing anything bad! She just went mental!"

Without waiting for a response, Roxy resumed her half-jog after her new boyfriend. Amy stared after her and shook her head slightly. Katy grinned at the blonde beside her, before ruffling her head and leading her towards the house.

In the dining room, she saw her mother at the table talking to Charlie Cotton. Her eyes narrowed at the way he was covering her shaking hand with his. With a bang, she opened the door fully, fixing her gaze pointedly on their joined hands.

Ronnie moved quickly, raising both of her hands to her face to wipe away the tears that had gathered in her eyes and were spilling down her cheeks. She deliberately scooted back in her chair, leaning away from Charlie.

"Alright?"

"What's going on?" Katy demanded suspiciously. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine, sweetheart."

"Yeah?"

Ronnie nodded and stood, rooting around in her bag for her purse. Pulling out a couple of notes she handed them to her daughter. "Take the girls for out tea, OK?"

"Why?"

"Just do it, Katherine!" The blonde snapped.

Shooting a final, angry look at the man who was still seated at the table, Katy ushered the two little girls out of the room and closed the door firmly behind her.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: I know, I know, I'm drawing the whole pregnancy thing out, but I promise it'll hit the fan soon ;) My prediction that I'd have time to write over the summer was sadly disproved... I haven't even had time to WATCH Eastenders for weeks! _**

**_Thanks to _RHatch89_ and _Leah_ for all your reviews! :)_**

**_x_**


	39. Chapter 39

Katy pushed open the door to the car lot office and stamped inside. Max glanced up briefly from his paperwork, before spotting the expression on her face and sighing. He carried on with what he was doing as the young woman slammed the door behind her and stood in front of his desk with her hands on her hips.

"What?"

"Are you screwing Lucy?"

Max dropped his pen. "Eh?"

"Are you shagging Lucy Beale?" Katy repeated angrily, moving forward and leaning on his desk. When he didn't answer, she laughed mirthlessly. "Fuck you. Were you shagging her when you were shagging me?" At the expression on his face and his continued reluctance to give her an answer, Katy shook her head. "Fuck you, Max!"

"Just keep your mouth shut, yeah?" He ordered.

"Why? Because you've got such an upstanding reputation?"

"How d'you think Lauren would feel if she found out?" Max snapped. "If you say anything about me and Lucy, I'll make sure Lauren knows about me and you."

Katy scowled at him. "She'd hate you."

"She'll hate me anyway if you say anything about Lucy." He pointed out. "But she'll hate you more."

The pair glared at each other for a couple of moments, stuck in a stalemate that they couldn't break. As the tension grew, Katy saw Max's gaze flicking down to her lips and she felt the heat begin to rise between them. Against her better judgement, as Max moved towards her Katy reached out and gabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him flush against her. He buried one hand in her hair, the other on her hip to pull her closer as they kissed. Stumbling backwards, Max perched on the edge of his desk, Katy moving to stand between his legs. Max moved one hand between them, undoing the button of his trousers, while Katy hiked her skirt up hastily.

With a loud creak the door opened and they sprang apart as though they'd been burnt. The hurried rearrangement of their clothes wasn't enough to prevent the intruder on their moment from seeing what had been going on.

"What the…?"

"Lucy…" Max zipped up his trousers and stepped towards the blonde, one hand outstretched towards her.

Katy smirked with satisfaction, folding her arms and leaning against the filing cabinet. She watched Lucy carefully as the blonde scowled at Max, barely meeting the other girl's eyes. As he tried to reason with her, to convince her either that nothing had happened or that she shouldn't say anything, Lucy turned and stormed out of the office. Shooting a look at Katy over his shoulder, Max followed.

Straightening her clothes, Katy left the office and made her way towards the Vic. She grinned at Nancy, who made her a drink, before going to sit in one of the booths across from the bar. After a while, the doors opened and Max walked in. He sat beside her, looking anywhere but at Katy.

"She's not going to say anything."

Katy laughed. "Yeah, right."

"She won't."

"Why? To save my reputation?" She snorted. "It's not like we're friends, is it?"

"Just don't say anything."

"Like I would." Katy pulled a disgusted face. "If that's all, you can piss off now."

He sent her one final look, before getting up and walking away. Katy bitterly drained her drink, before getting up and going to the bar. She ordered another, leaning heavily against the wood. She kicked the rail around the bottom with the toe of her shoe angrily.

"What's up?" Nancy asked, handing her the glass and taking the money Katy offered her. "What did he want?"

Katy shook her head. "Doesn't matter."

"Must be something big?"

"Why?"

"You look like you just swallowed a wasp or summit."

"Nah… just… eurgh." Katy shook her head. "Why is life so shit?"

Nancy shrugged. "It's not all bad. I hear Ronnie and Roxy are planning the housewarming of the century."

Rolling her eyes, the brunette took a long gulp of her drink. "I know. It's gonna be mental. You coming?"

"Course!" Her friend grinned. "I fixed the rotas specially. Tomorrow night I will be ready to party!"

x-x

"Oi, Katy!"

Katy turned at the sound that was obviously directed at her. It was too early in the morning for many people to be around. Only a few of the stall holders were setting up yet and the sound of her name made her jump.

She scowled as she saw Lucy tottering towards her on her stupidly high heels. The blonde's face was screwed up into a superior sneer and her eyes were hard and cold.

"What d'you want?"

"I wonder how Lauren would react if she knew her so-called best friend was sleeping with her dad?"

"I dunno… maybe I'll tell her about what you've been up to and find out." Katy retorted. As the other girl's face twitched irritably, she grinned. "What?"

"You wouldn't dare."

"Wouldn't I?"

"Just because Max got bored of you and came looking for something better..."

"Better?" Katy laughed. "Really?"

"Let's face it... twenty-one, saddled with a kid, getting fat… you're hardly a catch."

Seeing red, the Mitchell grabbed Lucy roughly, dragging her forward. "You what?"

Lucy glared at her. She took a step forward, invading the brunette's personal space entirely. She laughed coldly as Katy raised her first, as though intending to punch her. "Try it and see how far you get. One word to Lauren and she'll know exactly how much of a home wrecking little slag you are."

With a chuckle that startled the younger girl, Katy shook her head, letting go of her top and shoving her away. "You're threatening me? Oh, that's hilarious." Her eyes darkened and her tone turned drastically colder. "You don't want to try that, sweetheart. The last person who threatened my family ended up wishing they hadn't. I really hope you don't end up the same way."

"What are YOU going to do to ME?"

"Now that would be telling. Just watch your back, Beale. I'd hate anything serious to happen to you." Katy threatened her, raising her hand and jabbing a finger into her chest, pushing Lucy back a couple of steps.

Barging her shoulder into the blonde, the Mitchell shoved her way past, heading for home. She didn't pause or look back as Lucy shouted 'bitch' after her. A small smile crossed her lips at the thought of Lucy trying to take her on; the younger girl wouldn't have the first idea how to intimidate her successfully.

She was so deep into her own thoughts that she didn't hear Lauren calling her until her friend laid a hand on her arm, making Katy jump reflexively.

"Shit, sorry." She apologised, realising that Lauren was wincing and rubbing the spot on her arm that she had smacked in her shock. "You alright?"

"Yeah, fine." Lauren agreed readily. "What was that about? You and Lucy, I mean… it looked pretty bad?"

"Eurgh… you know what she's like." Katy said pulling a face. "Stuck up bitch." As Lauren raised an eyebrow at her, the older girl sighed. "I know, I know… she's your best mate or whatever. But she pisses me off until I just wanna smack her in her smug little face."

Lauren laughed and pushed her arm through Katy's. "Whatever. So, this party tonight?"

"It's gonna be big and messy." The Mitchell laughed. "What are you doing up this early, anyway?"

"Gotta go and sort things for the business." Lauren told her, glancing at the time on her phone. "Speaking of that, I'd better go and catch up with Lucy… see you later, yeah?"

Katy nodded her agreement and watched as her friend jogged away to catch up with the blonde. Screwing up her lip in a sneer, Katy carried on walking towards the Minute Mart. Denise smiled and let her in as she was opening up, chatting about mundane things as the young woman grabbed a bottle of milk out of the fridge and handed over a handful of coins.


	40. Chapter 40

The rest of the day passed slowly, with Ronnie and Roxy ordering her to do various things to ready the new house for the housewarming that evening. Jack had come to pick up Amy and Ruby for the weekend and all that was left to do was make sure everything was up to Ronnie's standards.

Heading over to the Minute Mart for more ice, Katy ran into Lucy and Lauren walking along Bridge Street from the direction of the tube station. Lauren grinned at her and immediately began asking about the party, while Lucy stood in sulky silence beside her.

When Katy made her excuses and went into the shop, the blonde followed, closing the door behind them. There was no sign of anyone behind the counter, but Katy could hear the radio on and someone singing softly in the stock room as she pointedly ignored Lucy and began pulling bags of ice out of the freezer.

"I nearly told Lauren about you and Max earlier." Lucy whispered spitefully, keeping one eye on the stock room door.

"It's a good job for you that you didn't." Katy snapped back, scowling at her. "Because if my secret comes out, so does yours."

"Who's got more to lose? Me, or you?"

The brunette snorted. "Listen, love, who's really going to care, apart from Lauren, if they find out I was shagging Max? My family won't bat an eyelid. If anything it'd be Max who needed to watch his back. You? Princess Lucy would be in the dog house for sure."

"You think I can't handle my dad?"

"I think you're a spoilt little brat who needs her daddy's money and protection to survive."

Lucy glared at her. "I don't need anything from my dad. I'm making my own life."

"Yeah?" Katy shook her head and smirked. "Because I think that daddy's money is a massive part of your life. Your business? Where would it be without Ian and his empire to back it up?"

"He has nothing to do with my business."

"Really?"

"What do you know about anything anyway?" Lucy demanded. "You work in either the club or the gym that your mum owns, you live with her and your aunt and her kid and your daughter? What part of your life makes you any better than me?"

Katy arched an eyebrow. "What part? The part where I could end you and no one would be any the wiser."

Lucy blinked and stepped backwards at the venom in the brunette's tone. "Yeah right."

"Don't push me, Beale. You'll regret it if you do."

Leaving Lucy staring wide-eyed after her, Katy slammed a couple of notes down on the counter and carted the bags of ice back across the Square to number 27. She banged her way through the front door and smacked the bags heavily down onto the kitchen table, before pushing them roughly into the freezer, pummelling them with the heels of her palms to make them fit.

"Hey. Hey!" Ronnie caught her arms and pulled the young woman into her tightly, running a soothing hand through her hair. "What's happened?"

"That Beale bitch… judging me and… stuck up cow."

"Since when have you cared what Lucy Beale thought of you?"

Katy ground her teeth. "Since I found out she was…"

"What?"

"Nothing."

Ronnie arched an eyebrow. "OK, now I know you're hiding something, so there's no point even trying."

"You don't want to know."

"I do."

"Mum… leave it." Katy almost begged. "I can't stand Lucy Beale, that's all there is to it."

"No, I'm not going to leave it." Her mother shot back. "Something's happened and it's upset you and I am not having that." She let go of Katy and moved to the back door. "If I have to get it out of her, I will."

"NO!" Katy almost leapt across the room, putting herself between Ronnie and the door. "Drop it."

"No."

Letting out a long, low exhalation of breath, the young woman screwed up her face as she realised she was going to have to tell Ronnie something to get her off her back. "Lee Carter, alright? I like him, so does Lucy. He chose her over me and Whit and it pissed me off. OK?"

There was a pause and then the blonde shook her head. "That's not it."

"What?"

"You don't like Lee Carter at all. I remember you going on about how he was a loser and Whitney could do so much better when she was upset about the whole situation before. So…?"

"Please, Mum, leave it."

"Would you leave it if it was me?"

"It's not the same."

"How? You made it very obvious you weren't happy about me and Charlie Cotton. You didn't drop that subject when I asked you to."

"Max Branning, OK?" Katy threw at her, regretting her words as soon as they'd left her mouth. But by then it was too late and Ronnie was staring at her in confusion. "I was sleeping with Max."

"You were what?" Her mother demanded, her voice low and dangerous. "Why? Did he… did he pressure you into it?"

"What? No, Mum, it was me… Max is a nice enough guy and… I knew it wouldn't get serious or anything. I didn't need anything serious. It was fun while it lasted."

"So… Lucy found out? She threatened to tell people?"

"She was sleeping with Max too." Katy sighed. "I know it's messed up. I got angry when I found out that Max was cheating on me and I threatened her. I shouldn't have, I know. But she just… I couldn't stand the thought of her thinking she was better than me."

Ronnie frowned. "She's not better than you. What's she? A jumped up little bitch?"

"Mum…"

"So, you and Max?"

"It's over, OK."

"Is he…?" She motioned towards Katy's stomach.

The brunette bit her lip. "We don't know I am. But… if I am… yes. Which is why no one can know. If people found out… Jack… Lauren?"

"OK." Ronnie nodded and pulled her daughter into a tight hug. "I won't say a word. As long as that Lucy Beale keeps her mouth shut, it'll be fine."

"I think she will." Katy grinned. "She nearly shat herself when I threatened her."

"Maybe I should have a quiet word?"

"Nah… don't get involved, Mum. I'll handle it."

Smiling warmly, Ronnie pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead and propelled her out of the kitchen. "Right, you go and get ready. Roxy should be out of the bathroom soon so you can get in. I'll finish up down here and then I'll be up for a shower, so make sure you're out by then."

Katy headed up the stairs, rolling her eyes and waving her hand in her mother's direction as she went. Ronnie paused for a moment before grabbing her keys and striding through the front door, closing it quietly behind her.

It didn't take the blonde long to make her way to the Beale's house, knocking on the door and waiting patiently for it to be opened. She was in luck when the young woman she was looking for answered. Lucy looked surprised and a little wary at the sight of Ronnie on her doorstep, but she quickly schooled her features into something more commonly seen on her face.

"Can I help you?"

"You can keep your mouth shut and stay away from my daughter." Ronnie told her calmly.

Lucy blinked. "I don't know what–?"

"Katy told me." The older woman said shortly. "If you know what's good for you, you'll stop making threats and worry more about what's going on in your own life than hers. Understand?"

"I wasn't–"

Not waiting to hear what Lucy had been going to say, Ronnie turned and stalked away. She didn't pause until she had walked through the front door and closed it behind her. As she headed down the hallway back to the kitchen, Katy's head appeared over the bannisters from the floor above.

"Did you go out?" She asked, looking confused.

"No." Ronnie lied instantly, sending her a smile and continuing out of sight.


	41. Chapter 41

The party was a wild success. Almost the entire Square had turned up at number 27 during the course of the evening. Sometime around eleven, a very drunk Katy had received a phone call from an even drunker Max and had slipped away from the party to meet him. With both Lauren and Abi safely out of the way at the housewarming, the pair had the house to themselves and made the most of it.

To Katy's horror, however, when she blearily opened her eyes the next morning, she realised that she was still in the Branning's house. Sitting up too quickly, causing her head to throb and her stomach to attempt to force its way up her throat, the young woman glanced sideways at the sleeping form of her lover. She groaned and slipped out of bed, scrabbling around on the floor for her clothes and starting to get dressed hastily.

"Morning…" Max rasped, rolling over and letting his eyes roam slowly over her naked torso. "What time is it?"

"Just gone half five." Katy informed him, checking her phone quickly.

He groaned and rolled over, shielding his eyes from the bright light coming through the curtains they hadn't drawn the night before. "Where are you going at this time?"

"I can't be here when Lauren and Abi wake up, can I?" She reasoned, pulling her top over her head. "Besides, if Ronnie and Roxy realise I've gone they'll go nuts."

"Right…" Max scooted closer, pulling himself into a seated position and peppering her neck with soft kisses. "Last night was great."

"Max… this doesn't mean I've forgiven you." Katy told him firmly. "If you and Lucy–"

"That's over, babe."

"Yeah? Still doesn't mean I'm gonna pick up where we left off. You're gonna have to work harder than that to win me over, Max."

Picking up her shoes, Katy stalked across the bedroom and opened the door. She caught sight of Max collapsing back onto his pillows with one hand on his head, before she slipped through the opening and crept along the landing towards the stairs. Standing on a creaky board, Katy froze. Her gaze flickered towards the doors behind which she assumed Abi and Lauren were asleep. When there was no sign that either of them had heard, she continued down the stairs, letting herself out through the backdoor and creeping across the Square.

Letting herself into number 27, the young woman headed up the stairs and into her bedroom, collapsing on her bed and burying her face into her pillow. She sighed deeply, cursing her drunken weakness. Now Max would think that every time he called she'd come running. She was furious; with him and with herself.

Sleep evaded her after that and, by the time she heard sounds of life from along the corridor, she had already had a shower and changed her clothes. Deciding to make a start on what was, undoubtedly, a huge mess downstairs, she opened her door and came face-to-face with Aleks.

"Morning."

"Is it?" She asked grumpily.

"I assume that you enjoyed the party last night?" He asked, smirking at her bad mood which he, correctly, perceived was caused by a hangover.

"It was good." She agreed bluntly. "Why are you here?"

"Roxy asked me to stay."

Pulling a face, Katy headed down the stairs without replying. As she'd expected, the house looked as though a bomb had hit it. She sighed and searched under the sink for a bin liner, which she proceeded to start filling with empty bottles and cans. Her mother would undoubtedly tell her off for not separating the rubbish ready for recycling, but she couldn't be bothered. Her mind was on other things.

By the time Ronnie appeared in the kitchen, Katy had made a serious dent in the clearing up. As she had expected, her mother sighed when she realised that the young woman had thrown everything into the same bags, but Katy just smiled and carried on washing up wine glasses.

"Where did you vanish to last night?" Ronnie asked casually, leaning against the counter and fixing her daughter with a hard stare.

"What?"

"Where were you? You just disappeared."

"Nowhere." Katy shrugged. "Just popped out for some air."

"What, for a couple of hours?" Ronnie laughed and shook her head. "Nice try. Where were you?"

"I was with Max, OK?" The brunette snapped, the pounding in her head and her mother's questioning causing her to snap. "I was shagging Max."

Ronnie froze, her mouth hanging open at the words that had burst from her daughter's mouth. "You were what? I'm gonna kill him."

"Mum, no."

"He's old enough to be your dad, Katy. He's practically your uncle, for fuck's sake! He is your best mate's dad!"

Katy shook her head. "I know… I know! I just… I can't help myself."

"I don't want you seeing him again, Katy, I mean it!" Ronnie ordered. "You stay away from him."

"You can't tell me what to do!"

"I'm your mother."

"So what? You still don't get to tell me what to do."

"You might be pregnant, Katy!" The blonde reminded her, making her daughter wince. Her face softened. "I'm only looking after you."

"Don't!"

Ronnie narrowed her eyes and reached out, grasping her daughter's wrist. "I'm buying a test and you're taking it today. You've put off not knowing long enough. It's dangerous."

The brunette snorted. "Dangerous?"

"You were so drunk last night! You shouldn't have been drinking at all! Besides, if you're pregnant you'll need scans and things, Katy. You know you will."

"Fine!" Katy threw the dishcloth into the sink, sending soapy water splashing over the counters. "Fine. I'll do a fucking test! But you can't tell me what I can and can't do and who I can and can't see."

"We'll talk about that later." Ronnie told her firmly, heading into the hallway to retrieve her purse. "I'll be back in ten minutes and we'll find out one way or another."

x-x

"Well?"

Katy rolled her eyes as her mother banged on the bathroom door for the second time, staring at the white plastic stick in her hands. She had known what it was going to tell her, before she'd even opened the box. Seeing in black and white, or rather blue and white, didn't make her feel any better about the truth.

With a long sigh, she set the pregnancy test on the counter beside the sink and turned the tap on. Washing her hands slowly, she considered her options, knowing that there was only really one that she would even consider.

"Katy!"

"OK, OK…" She muttered, picking up the test and moving to unlock the bathroom door. "See for yourself."

Practically throwing the stick at her mother, she pushed past and descended the staircase as quickly as she could without actually running. She went into the kitchen and slammed down the switch on the kettle, banging mugs onto the counter with much more force than necessary.

"Katy…" Ronnie leant against the doorframe. "Are you alright?"

"What do you think?"

"What are you going to do?"

The brunette narrowed her eyes. "What d'you mean, what am I gonna do? What is there to do?"

"Are you going to keep it?"

"Do I have a choice?" Katy snapped. Then she grasped the counter top tightly and shook her head. "I can't… I have to."

"I'll help you, baby." Ronnie promised, crossing the room and wrapping her daughter tightly in her arms. "You won't be on your own. I promise."


	42. Chapter 42

Katy shifted uncomfortably in the hard chair in front of the doctor's desk. Ronnie had insisted on taking her to hospital after seeing the positive pregnancy test, insisting that she needed to be checked over soon. The doctor had taken samples and then told her to lie down on the bench while he readied the ultra-sound equipment.

Ronnie had clapped one hand over her mouth at the image of not one, but two babies on the screen. Katy's mouth had gone dry at the implications of what she was seeing and she gripped her mother's hand impossibly tightly. The doctor had asked whether she wanted to know what she was having and the young woman had only been able to nod wordlessly at him. She exhaled sharply on hearing that she was expecting twin girls.

"Based on your scan and the dates you've given me, I'd say that you're due right at the end of September." The doctor told her with a smile, scribbling something down on his note pad. "September 30th." He smiled between them. "Do you want your scan photo?"

"Yes, please." Ronnie answered before Katy could even open her mouth.

The brunette glanced quickly at her mother, who squeezed her hand reassuringly, before nodding at the doctor. He excused himself and left the room, closing the door with a firm click behind him.

"Twins?" Katy gasped out as soon as they were alone. "I can't cope with twins!"

"There must be something in the water," Ronnie joked, "what with Kat having twins and now you."

"Mum… I'm serious. I could barely deal with Ruby. How am I gonna survive twins?"

"You'll be brilliant, baby." The blonde said soothingly, tucking a strand of hair behind her daughter's ear. "We'll be here to support you."

"But how am I gonna explain it?" Katy panicked. "As soon as people find out I'm pregnant Max is going to know."

"We tell them you had a one night stand in Ibiza. They won't know any different and they won't be able to argue. Max won't have a leg to stand on. Besides, I can hardly see him fighting you on it; he won't want everyone knowing they're his, will he?"

Katy sighed and shook her head, sinking lower in her seat. She chewed on her thumbnail until the doctor returned with the ultrasound photos and gave her details of her next appointment. After they'd thanked him, Ronnie led her out of the room and through the hospital to the car park. They didn't speak until they were safely settled in Ronnie's car and heading back to the Square.

"Things are working out, Katy."

"How d'you figure that one out?" The brunette asked, turning her head sharply to look at Ronnie.

"The babies, number 27, Carl…"

Katy shot her a hard look. "Don't mention him."

"It's over, Katy."

"Really? How can you be sure? No one's come looking for him for a while, but that doesn't mean they won't. And when they do, what else are they going to find? What else will they pin on us? If they put me away… these babies could have babies of their own before I get out."

"Don't!" Ronnie scowled at her. "Don't!"

"Why not? It's the truth, innit?"

"No one is taking you anywhere, d'you understand me?"

Katy snorted and pushed the door open forcefully. She slammed it behind her and stalked away towards the house. Letting herself in, she left the door open for her mother and stamped straight up the stairs to her bedroom. Roxy shouted after her, evidently wondering where they'd been and why she was in such a bad mood, but the younger Mitchell just ignored her and shut herself firmly in her room.

x-x

"Ronnie says you've got news." Roxy said, almost exploding through the door into her niece's bedroom.

Katy looked up at her from her bed, arching an eyebrow. "Of course she did."

"Well?" The blonde bounced over and threw herself onto the bed. "What is it?"

"I'm pregnant."

"What?"

"Twins."

Roxy's eyes widened comically. "What?"

"Yup…"

"How…? Who…?"

"The normal way… Some guy in Ibiza…"

"But…" Roxy shook her head. "You kept that one quiet."

Katy shrugged. "Sorry… but now I'm having twins and I just…"

Slinging an arm around her niece, Roxy sighed. She leant her head against Katy's and squeezed her tightly. "It'll be fine, babe. We'll help you as much as you need. You're a great mum to Ruby and you'll be just as good with these two."

About to answer, the brunette was cut off by the sound of her mobile ringing. With a sigh, she saw Lauren's name flashing on the display and tapped the screen to accept the call. Pulling a face at Roxy, who smirked and leant back against the wall, Katy held the handset to her ear.

"Hey."

"Lucy's dead."

"Wh… what?"

"Lucy… she's dead." Lauren repeated in a quiet, distracted voice. "Ian just came into the Vic and told Peter… he… she's dead."

Katy lowered her phone, almost dropping it onto the duvet in shock. Roxy narrowed her eyes questioningly and reached out to touch her hand. When there was no response, she gently took the mobile from her niece and held it to her ear.

"Lauren, it's Roxy. What's happened?"

"Lucy's dead. They found her body on the common. Ian just told Peter…"

"You're kidding."

"Why would I joke about something like that?" Lauren demanded angrily. A few tell-tale sniffs told Roxy that the girl was crying.

"Sorry… Do they know what happened? Was it an accident, or…?"

"No. I don't know. I just know that she's dead."

Thanking Lauren for calling to let them know, Roxy ended the call and put the mobile down on the bed. She turned to look at Katy carefully and saw that the young woman was staring at the opposite wall sightlessly.

"Katy? Are you alright?"

"Me?" Katy shivered slightly, almost as though she was pulling herself together. "I'm fine. I don't… I never liked her anyway."

"She's dead, though…"

"I know… obviously I wouldn't wish that on her, but I'm not going to pretend I'm devastated."

"Maybe it's not wise to go telling anyone else that." Roxy pointed out, arching an eyebrow.

"I'm not stupid, Rox." Katy replied, rolling her eyes. "But it's not exactly news that we hated each other's guts. The police already look for any excuse to pin something on one of us… as soon as they hear that me and Lucy didn't get on – which they will because anyone around here will tell them – they're gonna come knocking on that door."

"But if you haven't got anything to hide… you haven't, have you?"

"Of course not!" Katy defended herself at once. "I never laid a finger on her."

"Well then, you'll be alright." Roxy said firmly, either not recognising the lie or choosing not to. "Besides, who says they'll even come looking. It might have been an accident for all we know. Or they might already know who did it. There's nothing to say that they'll even be looking for someone to pin it on."

Chewing her lip nervously, the brunette nodded. "Maybe I should go and see Peter… make sure he's…" She sighed. "OK isn't the right word…"

"No, babe." Roxy shook her head. "Don't do anything. The more you get involved, the worse it'll look if, worst case, the police do come knocking. Like you said, everyone knows you didn't like Lucy… if you make a big fuss now, it's gonna look odd. Just… leave it."

She pressed a kiss to her niece's forehead and then climbed off the bed. Sending her a reassuring smile, Roxy left the room and closed the door gently behind her. Outside on the landing, she shook her head and exhaled sharply, before descending the stairs in search of her older sister.


	43. Chapter 43

Every time the doorbell rang, Katy's heart leapt into her mouth. It was completely irrational, she knew, but that still didn't mean she wouldn't be dragged into it. She knew how things worked and the very fact that her surname was Mitchell and she hadn't liked the murdered girl would definitely count against her.

The news that she was pregnant had soon got out and spread around the Square like wildfire. Roxy had let the information slip to Lola, who hadn't been able to keep her mouth shut. As soon as he heard the news from Lauren, Max inundated Katy's mobile with calls and texts, demanding to know what was going on. Finally having enough of avoiding him, Katy marched over to the car lot to warn him to leave her alone.

"Are they mine?" He demanded, as soon as she leant on the desk.

"No, they're not." She snapped. "The dates mean that I got pregnant while I was in Ibiza. They're nothing to do with you."

"I thought you said you didn't meet anyone out there."

"I lied." Katy told him venomously. "Didn't think it mattered at the time, but obviously it does."

There was a pause while Max scrutinised her carefully. "When they due?"

"October." She lied, knowing that if she gave him the real date he would work it out instantly. When they came earlier than she'd said, she would just pass it off as them being premature. "They're not yours. So just stop bothering me, OK?"

"Katy…"

"I ain't interested." Katy snapped. She leant in and narrowed her eyes. "You better be careful, because if the cops find out about you and Lucy, it ain't gonna look good, is it?"

Max scowled at her. "Don't threaten me."

"I'm not… It was a warning. Between mates."

With a smile, she turned and left the car lot without a backwards glance. Outside, she squeezed her eyes closed and shook her head. Then she held her head up and stalked towards the Vic, where she was supposed to be meeting Roxy there before going across London to collect Amy and Ruby from Jack's.

"Katherine Mitchell?"

"Who wants to know?" She demanded coldly, glancing between the two men, who were very obviously police officers.

"DS Bryant and DS Holt, we'd like to ask you a few questions about Lucy Beale."

"Why?"

The older of the two men frowned. "We're asking anyone with a connection to Ms Beale about their whereabouts on Friday night."

"Oh… well I was at our housewarming party. My mum and Aunt have just bought number 27 so we were celebrating. I was there, with most of the Square, all night."

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" The younger detective told her with a sarcastic smile. Katy scowled at him. "So, how would you describe your relationship with Ms Beale?"

"OK… we weren't best friends or anything…"

There was a pause as they looked at each other, before the detective jerked his head in an approximation of a nod. "We might need to speak to you again."

"Great. I'll look forward to it." She retorted irritably. "Can I go now?"

When she received a nod in affirmation, the Mitchell turned and stamped away in the direction of the Vic. She covered up her worry about being singled out for questioning about her whereabouts when Lucy had been killed with bad-temperedness. Pushing through the doors of the Vic, she dropped onto the bench of the booth her mother and aunt were already seated at and kicked the table leg angrily.

"What's wrong?" Roxy asked, frowning.

Katy shook her head. "Nothing."

"Yeah, right."

"Just the police asking questions about Lucy."

The two blondes looked at her shrewdly. Then Roxy started to chew her lip awkwardly. "Did…?"

Narrowing her eyes, her niece screwed up her face and glared at her. "You think I killed her?"

"Well you can't blame me for asking!" Roxy hissed back. "It's not as if you haven't got form!"

Before Katy could reply and an argument could break out between the pair, Ronnie cut across them, as though she hadn't even heard the exchange between her sister and her daughter. She glanced at her watch, before grabbing her bag and standing up.

"We should get going. You haven't packed yet and I told Jack we'd be there by four."

"You what?" Katy asked, looking at her in confusion. "Packed?"

"Penny's over visiting Jack for the Easter holidays and he suggested you spend a few days with them."

"Mum… Penny hates me." Katy reminded her bluntly. "I doubt she wants to spend time with me any more than I want to spend time with her."

"She doesn't hate you." Ronnie sighed, leading the way out of the Vic. "Penny is just jealous of how close you and Jack are. Besides, it would mean a lot to Jack if you made the effort. He thinks of you as his daughter and he'd like you to get along with his other daughter." She unlocked the front door and ushered Katy inside quickly. "Besides, it might be a good think if you're away from the Square for a while… just until things blow over a bit."

Katy frowned. "You think I–"

"Not just the Lucy thing." Ronnie told her quickly. "The pregnancy thing, too. If they find out just what's been going on around here, you being out of the picture might be beneficial."

"And you don't think that's going to look at all suspicious?" Roxy pointed out, arching an eyebrow. "Katy decides to leave the Square just after Lucy is murdered?"

"No, because this has been arranged for a while."

Katy and Roxy exchanged a look. "It has?"

"Mmm-hmm…" Ronnie nodded. "I mentioned it to Dot, Carol and Bianca when they asked about whether Jack was bringing Penny to Walford while she's visiting. It's been marked down in the diary at work, too, so that you're not put on the rota while you're away."

"I did wonder why I had a week off…" Katy admitted. "But you didn't think to mention it to me?"

The blonde grinned at her daughter. "I knew you'd find an excuse to avoid it." As Katy huffed indignantly, Ronnie nodded her head towards the stairs. "You're not getting out of it, so go and pack."

Letting out a growl, Katy stamped up the stairs and into her bedroom. She pulled out her holdall and started stuffing clothes into it. It wasn't that she didn't want to see her step-father, or that she particularly wanted to stay on the Square at the moment, but she didn't like being manipulated like Ronnie had just done. She also doubted that her step-sister would let her time with Jack be particularly smooth sailing, either. The seventeen-year-old was always ready with a scathing comment or judgemental smirk and Katy was sure that the news that she was about to become a single mother again would delight the teenager.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: So, I'm adding to my already hectic life by moving tomorrow... I know! So I won't have wifi for a while, but I'll try to use my parents when I can to update :)**_

_**Hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks for reading/reviewing! x**_


	44. Chapter 44

"Stop sulking." Ronnie chuckled, catching her daughter's eyes in the rear view mirror as they turned into Jack's street.

"I'm not sulking." Katy retorted irritably, sliding down and glaring at them.

"You are." Roxy argued childishly from the passenger's seat.

"Hey! Jack hasn't seen you since before Christmas… he's looking forward to spending some time with you." Ronnie told her daughter seriously. "Try and get on with Penny, if it's only for his sake."

"Yeah, yeah…" She chewed the inside of her lip as something occurred to her. "Does Jack know I'm pregnant?"

Ronnie shook her head. "I thought you'd prefer to tell him yourself."

Katy nodded in agreement. "I think he'll take it better coming from me."

"Are you gonna tell him who the father is?" Roxy asked, raising an eyebrow meaningfully.

"No." Her niece replied bluntly. "No way."

"Jack would kill Max."

"I'm sticking to the one-night-stand in Ibiza story." Katy said firmly. "As far as anyone else is concerned, that's what happened."

"We're not going to say anything." Ronnie assured her, parking outside the large, semi-detached house where her ex-husband now lived. "Are we Rox?"

"No." The younger blonde promised, smiling at her niece. "We're not."

The trio climbed out of Ronnie's car and made their way through the gate and up the path to the front door, waiting for someone to answer. Jack appeared moments later, with Ruby in his arms and Amy hanging off him. He beamed at the three women on his doorstep and stood aside to let them in, kissing each on the cheek as they passed him. It was all very civilised, Katy thought as she went into the living room and settled herself on the sofa.

For a while they chatted, before Jack went to see where Penny was. She appeared a couple of minutes later, nodding and smiling tightly at the two blondes, before fixing the brunette with a hard glare. Katy, remembering what her mother had said, ignored her expression and smiled at her step-sister warmly.

"Hey, Penny, you alright?"

"Fine." The younger girl agreed, looking as though she thought Katy's pleasantness was some kind of trick.

"So, I was thinking," Jack started, taking his seat in the armchair once more, "we could all go out for dinner, seeing as you're here."

"I don't know…" Ronnie glanced at her daughter, who was looking paler than she had been earlier.

The blonde knew her well enough to realise that Katy was feeling nauseous and guessed that it was due to morning sickness. So far the young woman hadn't had many symptoms, other than the obvious weight-gain, but apparently it had started. Seeing Katy taking quick, shallow breaths, Jack shot his ex-wife a curious look.

"Katy?"

"Yeah?" She tried to look innocent.

"What's going on?" The former detective looked between the three Mitchell women. "What aren't you telling me?"

With a long sigh, the brunette rubbed a hand over her stomach. "I'm pregnant."

Jack's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. "Pregnant? Katy… who…?"

"It's not important." She replied hastily. "Just some guy when we were in Ibiza. But it's twins. They're due in September."

"Twins?" He shook his head, then he turned to his younger daughters. "Penny, take Amy and Ruby into the garden."

"Dad?"

"I need to speak to Katy, Ronnie and Roxy, OK?"

"But–"

"Please." He nodded. With a dramatic sigh, Penny lifted Ruby onto her lap and wheeled herself out of the room, following Amy who'd skipped ahead. When they were alone, Jack started pacing. "Katy… this is… how are you going to cope?"

"She'll be fine." Ronnie told him firmly, wrapping an arm around her daughter and glaring at Jack. "She's a brilliant mum to Ruby and she'll have me and Roxy to help her."

"Look, Ron, all I'm saying is that twins are going to be hard. Ruby's only two. Roxy's got Amy to worry about. Then there's the businesses and everything else." He reasoned. "Katy struggled with one kid… how is she going to cope with three?"

"So, what? You think I should get rid of them?" Katy snapped.

"No… that's not what I'm saying." Jack tried to soothe her. "I just want you to realise it's going to be hard."

"You think I'm not fucking aware of that?" She exploded, scowling at him. "You think I don't know that it's going to be difficult?"

"No, Katy, I…" He sighed. "This came out wrong."

"I think I should just go home."

As Katy stood up, looking pointedly away from him, Jack jumped to his feet and grasped her arm firmly. "No, wait. Please don't go."

"I don't need you judging me, Jack." The brunette told him emotionally, feeling tears springing to her eyes. "You're the closest thing I've got to a dad. I need you to have my back. I need my family to help me."

Wrapping his arms around her, Jack sighed, stroking his step-daughter's hair. "I am here. Whatever you need, OK?"

She nodded, burying her head in his chest and letting her tears escape. As she sobbed, Jack just held her tightly. Ronnie and Roxy looked on, until the young woman pulled away and rubbed at her eyes. Katy was angry at herself for letting herself cry.

Repeating his offer of taking everyone out for dinner, Jack rounded up the younger girls from the garden while Katy went to wash her face and remove all signs of her tears. They headed out to a restaurant that Jack obviously visited often, as the waitresses all seemed to know him. Katy arched an eyebrow at her step-father as a particularly flirty waitress laid her hand on his arm and smiled brightly.

"Dad, I want pizza." Katy informed Jack loudly, deliberately looking between him and the waitress.

"Mmm… me too, dad." Penny agreed, catching on to what the brunette was doing and deciding to join in.

The young woman standing at Jack's shoulder glanced between the two girls in surprise. Her mouth dropped open and she struggled to regain her composure as she realised that they weren't messing around. Fumbling for her notebook, she scribbled down their orders before rushing away towards the kitchens.

"Very funny, girls." Jack shook his head at them, taking a sip of his lager.

"What?" Katy smiled innocently at him. "Oh, did you fancy her?"

"Dad, she's about fifteen." Penny added, rolling her eyes.

"She is not." Jack shot back petulantly, sending them both a mock-glare.

The rest of the meal passed relatively calmly. The waitress didn't seem to be able to meet Jack's eyes when she returned to take their order and, when their meals were delivered, it was another waitress who brought their food. Roxy and Katy teased him relentlessly about chasing away their waitress until Jack told them to stop.

Once they'd finished eating Jack paid the bill, ignoring his ex-wife's arguments, before they returned to his house. Ronnie and Roxy had said their goodbyes and left, leaving Jack alone with the four girls. His suggestion that they put Amy and Ruby to bed and then they watched a film was well received until it came to choosing what they were going to watch. Then arguments between Penny and Katy exploded until the younger girl disappeared into her bedroom and slammed the door behind her.

"Katy…" Jack started.

The brunette narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't even say it."

He sighed as she heaved herself to her feet and stomped up the stairs and out of sight.


	45. Chapter 45

"Is Miss Mitchell here?"

Penny glanced over her shoulder and then nodded, rolling herself backwards so that the two detectives could pass her. She pointed them into the living room, before moving slowly into the kitchen. Katy stood with her hands on her hips, scowling at her step-sister angrily.

"Why did you let them in?" She hissed. They'd been forced to spend time together for three days and neither of the girls was feeling particularly sisterly towards the other.

"What's the problem?"

"They're cops, Penny." Katy rolled her eyes. "I'm a Mitchell… we don't exactly see eye to eye on most things."

"You got something to hide, then?" Penny asked scathingly.

Gritting her teeth, the older girl pushed past and went into the living room, closing the door firmly behind her so that her step-sister couldn't eavesdrop. She settled herself in the armchair, fixing the detectives with a hard stare. They looked back for a moment before the younger man flipped open his notebook and the older one shifted forwards so that he was perching on the edge of the sofa.

"We spoke to your Grandmother… she told us you were here."

"Dot?" Katy furrowed her eyebrows slightly, looking between them quickly. "What did you want to talk to me about so much that you couldn't wait a couple of days until I come home?"

"When we spoke before, you claimed that your relationship with Lucy Beale was 'OK'."

"Yeah…?"

"Well according to other people we've spoken to, you and Lucy Beale had a very hostile relationship. That, in short, you hated each other."

"So what if we did. I hate lots of people." Katy informed him casually, shrugging off his unspoken accusation.

"Most people you hate aren't dead."

Katy raised her eyebrows. "So… what? I killed her because we didn't get on? We've hated each other for years. Why would I kill her now? What reason did I have?"

"You tell us."

"Isn't it your job to work that out?" The brunette pointed out. "I mean… if you think I did something, then it's up to you to prove it."

"Maybe seeing Lucy succeeding with her business, while you've just found out that you're pregnant again, pushed you over the edge?" DS Holt suggested arrogantly. "Maybe you just saw red and snapped?"

"I am nineteen weeks pregnant with twins. I feel like I'm the approximate size of a bloody bus. What exactly are you imagining I did?" She ranted, climbing to her feet and pacing the carpet, rubbing a hand over her swollen belly. "She'd have heard me coming a mile off. What? D'you reckon I could chase her? Overpower her? Seriously?" Stopping and fixing them with a ferocious scowl, Katy shook her head. "Besides, why would I be jealous of her? Yes, I'm pregnant again, but I love my daughter and I already love these babies too. She has her own business? So what? We've got a fucking empire. I'm the co-manager of a highly successful club. I'm not jealous of her in the slightest."

"So why didn't you like each other?"

"We just… clashed… right from when we first met. She thought she was better than me, because of who I was… because of what my surname is. The Beales and Mitchells have history. She didn't like that I was friends with her brother and she thought that I was more interested in him than I was. Peter was going out with my best friend… I would never have got in the middle of that. Then there was Tyler, then Joey… we just don't get on. Didn't get on… whatever."

"Do you realise that you haven't once said the victim's name?" DS Bryant asked, looking at the young woman interestedly. "You've only referred to Ms Beale as 'she' or 'her'."

Katy shrugged. "I hadn't noticed."

The door burst open and Jack walked into the room, looking angry. He glanced towards his step-daughter briefly, then scowled at the two detectives seated on his sofa. Both men stared at him for a moment, before recognition flickered through their eyes and they stood, moving towards the irate man.

"Jack Branning…" DS Bryant tilted his head to one side. "Long time, no see."

"Bryant."

The detective looked between Jack and the pregnant young woman, his mind working overtime. "What's your relationship with Miss Mitchell, Jack?"

Jack glared at him again. "She's my daughter. My step-daughter."

"Really."

"Yes." He looked between the pair of detectives. "Are you finished or do we need to call Ritchie Scott?"

DS Bryant stared him out for a long moment, before standing. He shot Katy a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I think that's everything for now."

"Good." Jack scowled. "You can see yourselves out."

He waited for the front door to close before turning to his step-daughter with a hard look on his face. Katy sighed and eased herself down into the armchair, resting her head back against the cushions and exhaling sharply. She could feel Jack's eyes boring a hole into her but refused to look at him, knowing that he was going to start questioning her.

"I know what you're doing." He said. "You're ignoring me and hoping I'll go away."

"Yep."

"Well I'm not going to, so you should probably just tell me what's going on."

Grudgingly, Katy did as he asked. She explained about Lucy's death and what the police had been asking her about before he had burst in and put a stop to their questioning. Jack sighed and rubbed the back of his head, thinking hard. He didn't ask the question that was on the tip of his tongue; did you do it? He knew that Katy would completely flip if he did that.

"Why d'you think they came to speak to you?"

"Because I'm a Mitchell. Because people have been telling them that we hated each other."

"Do you have an alibi?" Jack demanded. "If they come asking for one, do you have a solid alibi."

Katy tensed, but nodded. Her step-father narrowed his eyes. "What…?"

"Nothing, Jack."

"Katy… I'm trying to help you. You need to tell me."

"I was at Mum and Aunty Rox's party."

"You were drunk." Jack filled in the gaps in a blunt tone. "You're pregnant, Katy!"

"I know, I know… but… my head was all… jumbled. I wasn't…" She shook her head and growled softly. "I know, OK."

"Why didn't anyone stop you drinking? You Mum? Roxy? Your mates?"

"No one knew, OK? No one knew about the babies until after the party. Mum made me go to the hospital on Monday to make sure."

Jack looked at her in disbelief, pointing at her stomach. "No one knew? Couldn't they tell?"

"This is not helping." She snapped. "You are not helping."

Running his hand over his forehead, the man nodded, conceding the point. "OK. OK!"

"Look, Jack… I think it's best if we go home." Katy suggested. "If they come looking for me again… I'm not running away."

"If…?"

"No." She replied bluntly. "I didn't kill her."

"I believe you."

Katy smiled weakly. "Thanks. I'll go and pack… can you phone Mum to come and get us?"

Jack smiled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head before pulling her out of her chair and watching as she left the room. Pulling out his mobile, he dialled Ronnie's number, thinking over what had happened as he waited for the call to connect.


	46. Chapter 46

Katy was able to breathe a sigh of relief when Jake was arrested for Lucy's murder. It was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, no longer worrying what anyone might say or what conclusions the police would jump to.

Then again, a couple of months later when Jake was released at the beginning of July, the young woman started to worry again. Finding out that new evidence had led to the man's release from Lauren, Katy had mixed emotions when she realised that Billy was the new suspect in the murder case. She didn't believe for a second that he was capable of actually killing Lucy, but with suspicion aimed at her cousin she was in the clear.

Things progressed quickly. All too soon Billy had been cleared, but the cracks that had appeared in Lola and Peter's relationship as a result were all too obvious to Katy. She tried to talk to her younger cousin about it, but Lola was unwilling to admit that things between her and her boyfriend might not be strong enough to weather this particular storm.

A couple of weeks later, Katy rushed into the living room of number 55 searching for the doll Ruby had left there the night before, while her daughter screamed from her pushchair in the hallway. Jay stopped talking into his mobile abruptly as the pregnant woman entered the room. For a moment they stared at each other suspiciously.

"What?" Katy asked, realising that Jay was shifting guiltily from foot-to-foot.

"Nothing." He replied, far too quickly.

Narrowing her eyes, the young woman folded her arms. "OK… I know you're up to something and you are going to tell me what it is, Jay."

"There's nothing, it's–"

"You can't lie to me, babe."

Knowing that she was right, the young man shook his head. He stared at the display of the mobile in his hand for a second, before holding it out to Katy. She frowned at the number on the screen that she didn't recognise and then lifted it to her ear.

"Hello?"

"K-Katy?"

"Ben?" She gasped, staring wide-eyed at Jay as she recognised the voice on the other end of the call instantly. "What–? Where are you?" The line went dead and Katy scowled at Jay, pointing the phone at him. "What the fuck is going on?"

Jay sighed. "Ben got let out a while back… he called me and… I've been talking to him, letting him know what's going on around here… that sort of thing."

"Does Phil know?" When Jay shook his head, Katy lifted a hand and ran it through her hair agitatedly. "He's gonna find out, Jay. He'll kill you when he realises you've been hiding this from him."

"I promised Ben."

"Oh, yeah, and we owe Ben so much." She snapped in response.

"He's like my brother, Katy."

"He murdered Heather!"

"It was an accident."

"He still did it!" Katy reminded him angrily. "Heather… Heather who wouldn't hurt a fly."

"I know, OK?" Jay exploded, not needing to hear about it anymore. He looked worriedly at her. "What are you going to do?"

Shrugging, the young woman smoothed a hand over her pregnant stomach, thinking hard. "Does he want to come back to the Square?" Jay shook his head. "Does he want to see anyone?" Jay shook his head again. "OK… so we say nothing. Tell Ben to stay away, Jay. I know," she held up her hands as he opened his mouth to protest, "I know he's like your brother, but if he comes back it's going to rip this family apart… Shirl…"

Jay let out a long breath. "Alright."

"Is there anything else I need to know?"

"No."

"Jay?" She scowled, hearing the lie in his voice.

"The night Lucy died… I met him. We–"

Katy held up her hands and shook her head. "I don't want to know. Unless you want even more trouble heading your way, I suggest you forget about that and pray that Ben does too."

Jay nodded, rubbing the back of his neck and looking worried as the young woman snatched up Ruby's doll from the sofa and left the room hurriedly. There was the soft murmur of voices in the hall as the toddler's cries subsided at the sight of the toy, before the front door opened and closed and Jay was left alone in the quiet house once more. There was only a couple of seconds hesitation before he redialled Ben's number to tell him what had just happened.

x-x

When Katy descended the stairs a couple of mornings later, she could hear the sound of the radio in the kitchen. Running a hand over her stomach, she made her way slowly towards the back of the house, leaning in the doorway and smiling at the sight of her mother dancing to Katrina and the Waves. As Ronnie launched into the chorus, she turned and caught her daughter watching her.

"I'm walking on sunshine, woahh..." She sang, putting her hands on either side of Katy's face, before leaning in and kissing her on the forehead.

"You're in a good mood this morning." The brunette told her, leaning over and taking one of the slices of toast on Ronnie's plate.

"What's not to be in a good mood about?" Ronnie asked, smiling and leaning against the counter, sipping her tea. "It's a beautiful day and my even more beautiful daughter is pregnant with my twin granddaughters."

Katy rolled her eyes. "Are you drunk?"

Ronnie laughed and shook her head. "Of course not."

"So what's up then?" Katy pressed.

Ronnie opened her mouth to answer, but the front door opened and voices headed along the corridor to the kitchen. Roxy was almost propelling Shirley towards them and Katy moved aside as the older woman lurched through the doorway, looking decidedly worse for wear.

"You alright, Shirl?" The pregnant woman asked, lowering herself into one of the kitchen chairs.

"_I found her sleeping in the gardens._" Roxy explained as her sister hurriedly made a mug of coffee.

"_Shirley?_"

When there was no response to their words or the mug being placed on the surface in front of her, Ronnie nodded her head towards the doorway. The trio of Mitchell women moved closer together, lowering their voices as they sent furtive glances towards the older woman who was still staring into space.

"_Oh…_" Roxy remembered the bunch of flowers she was holding and raised them, looking at her sister quickly. "_They're for you. You're a free woman now you're off licence. And despite everything you've done…_"

"_Aww, they're beautiful, thank you._"

"_Before you have a go at me because you said no celebrating, I just wanted–_"

"_Oi, oi! They're gorgeous, thank you._" Ronnie cut her off with a bright smile, before moving past her and carrying the flowers into the kitchen.

Katy frowned at her aunt, smacking her arm with the back of her hand. Roxy glared and rubbed her arm. She pouted, jerking her shoulders in a shrug.

"What was that for?"

"Because you've made me look bad! I completely forgot that she came off licence today!"

"Ronnie won't care you didn't get her anything." Roxy pointed out.

"Yeah, but I still forgot about it, didn't I?" Katy sighed and then glanced into the kitchen to where her mother was rearranging her flowers in a vase. "D'you reckon that's why she's acting so weird… like… singing and stuff?"

Roxy laughed. "Ronnie sings loads."

"But… look at her." They both peered at the older Mitchell sister who was talking softly to Shirley. "There's something… different…"

"I'm sure she's fine." Roxy assured her, squeezing Katy's hand and walking through into the kitchen.

With a sigh, Katy was left no choice but to follow. She leant against the doorframe again, running a hand over her stomach as she listened to her mother talking to the older woman. The three Mitchells exchanged a bemused look as Shirley told them that Phil had proposed to Sharon. It was news to all of them and none of the women were particularly thrilled at the prospect. Katy exhaled sharply, her lip curling up with distain.

"_He never said…_" Ronnie glanced at her daughter, who was frowning at Shirley.

"_Why would he tell you?_" Shirley replied with a shrug. "_You're not that important._"

"_Listen, Shirley, I understand that you're hurting, but I–_"

The older woman shook her head. "_No, no, you don't understand nothing!_"

Shirley stood and strode out of the kitchen. No one said anything as she left the house, almost slamming the door behind her. Katy looked between her mother and her aunt, wondering whether they were planning on getting involved in this latest situation. None of them liked Sharon, but they might decide to just let Phil make his own mistakes.

"_Well done… great relationship advice from you there._" Roxy told her sister, perching on the seat Shirley had just vacated.

"_Listen, she's just hurt, alright._" Ronnie replied. "_I think it's great. It's great… a bit of happiness in the family._"

Katy and Roxy exchanged a look. "_Since when were you team Sharon?_"

"Yeah… what's Bitch Barbie got on you?"

"_I just think it's a bit of stability._" Ronnie told them with a shrug.

Exhaling sharply and flipping her hair as she rolled her eyes, Roxy changed the subject quickly. "_Alright, look, Ron… d'you wanna come to the Albert with me… gimme a hand? Because I said I'd re-open this evening._"

"_I can't, I've got things to do._"

This was news to her daughter, who furrowed her eyebrows. "Like what?"

When the blonde just sent her an enigmatic smile and turned away, Katy looked at Roxy in confusion. The younger blonde jerked her shoulders upwards, before nodding her head towards the door and signalling that her niece should follow her out of the kitchen.

They moved to the foot of the stairs so Ronnie wouldn't overhear them talking about her. Roxy wrapped her arms around her waist and looked agitated. Katy shook her head at her, glancing towards the kitchen where Ronnie had started singing to herself again.

"See!" She whispered agitatedly. "Something weird is going on!"

"Yeah… maybe you've got a point." Roxy agreed, chewing on her thumbnail.

"Of course I've got a point." Katy snapped irritably.

"Look, just… I've got to get over to the Albert and deal with a delivery. Try and find out what's got into Ron, OK?"

Nodding, Katy watched as her aunt left the house, before turning. She jumped as she came face to face with her mother, who laughed softly at Katy's shock. Grabbing her jacket off the hooks by the door, Ronnie suggested that they went to speak to Phil to find out the gossip surrounding his engagement to Sharon.

Deep in thought, wondering what could possibly have got into her mother, Katy followed her across the Square and in through the back gate of number 55. They let themselves in, finding the kitchen completely deserted. Calling out, Ronnie poked her head around the doorway and smiled as she spotted Phil in the hall, putting on his own jacket.

"_Ahhh… you got anything to tell us?_"

"_No._"

"_Are we just supposed to wait for an invite, then?_" When Phil didn't answer, Ronnie smiled. "_I think it's brilliant, congratulations._"

"_Thanks._" He glanced at the pregnant brunette, almost warily. "You got anything to say? You usually do."

Katy shrugged. "It ain't nothing to do with me."

"_Right. So…?_"

Ronnie smiled at his obvious confusion. "_Shirley told us._"

"_Listen, I'm… I'm late._" Phil pushed past them into the kitchen, obviously keen for them to leave.

Apparently the blonde had other ideas, because she followed her step-brother. "_Is it for good this time?_"

"_Yeah, course it it's for good. Listen I'm just gonna pick up Sharon._"

"_How is she?_"

"_Well she's a bit shaken, but…_"

"_At least she's got something good to look forward to, eh._" Ronnie pointed out, smiling warmly. Phil nodded and tried to make his escape, but the blonde kept talking. "_Shirley was… she was sleeping in the gardens._"

Phil sighed deeply. "_She's… she's a mess. She's taking it hard._"

Katy scowled at him. "And whose fault is that, eh?"

"Well it ain't mine." Her step-uncle snapped.

"_You can't let the past hold you back._" Ronnie said wisely. Katy shot her a look, trying to work out what was going on in her head. "_You're moving on. I think it's good. We're all moving on._"

She smiled at him one final time, before slipping through the door. Katy arched an eyebrow at Phil and shrugged as she followed, seeing the confusion that had been clear on Roxy's face, and was no doubt a near-permanent fixture on her own face, flitting across her step-uncle's.

Pausing by the back gate to number 55, Katy reached out and touched Ronnie's arm. The blonde turned to look at her, quirking an eyebrow questioningly. When Katy asked, tentatively, if she was OK, the blonde merely laughed softly and raised a hand to touch her daughter's cheek lightly.

"Of course I'm OK, sweetie." Ronnie assured her. "Look, I need to get to the R&R. I'll see you later, alright?"

Nodding slowly, Katy wandered slowly towards the gardens and watched the blonde walking up Bridge Street. Ronnie ducked into the Minute Mart, emerging a moment or two later with Charlie Cotton. Katy narrowed her eyes suspiciously as they stopped walking and chatted for a minute. Then Ronnie touched the man's arm, before spinning on the spot and stalking away in the direction of the club.

Charlie stared after her for a moment, before turning in the direction of the Launderette. He met Katy's eyes and hurriedly changed direction, striding over to where she was standing. The brunette ran a hand over her bump and tilted her head slightly, staring him out.

"You alright?" Charlie asked, causing the woman to nod wordlessly. "Look… your mum… is she seeing anyone?"

"Not that I know of. Why?"

"She just… she asked me out for a drink, that's all."

Katy shrugged. "Don't read too much into it," she cautioned, "Mum does this. She gets bored easily." She looked over the man contemptuously. "You won't last long."

"You think?"

"I know." She replied bluntly.

Charlie stared at the pregnant woman for a minute, before turning his back on her and walking towards the launderette once more.


	47. Chapter 47

As Katy hauled herself out of her chair later on that day, deciding to head home and find out what her missed calls and texts from Roxy were about, she spotted Charlie sitting in one of the booths. He pulled his mobile out of his pocket and glanced at it quickly, obviously checking for messages. Guessing who he was waiting for, Katy paused beside his table and fixed him with a slightly sympathetic gaze.

"She stood you up then?" The young woman asked.

"Looks like it…"

Katy shrugged. "I did try to warn you." He looked so forlorn that she sighed. "Come on… she might have just forgotten."

She wasn't convinced and Charlie didn't seem to be either, but the pair headed out and crossed the Square. Katy unlocked the front door and stepped inside. She was taken aback to see her mother and her aunt in the hallway, her eyes flicking down to the packed bags sitting at the bottom of the stairs.

"Mum?"

"_I thought we were going for a drink?_" Charlie said, jerking his shoulders irritably.

Ronnie rubbed her forehead. "_Umm… I'm sorry. I just forgot._"

"_Look, if you're seeing someone else just say. I'm not bothered._"

"_Look, sorry, we're just in the middle of something here._" Roxy snapped, scowling at the man standing on the doorstep. She reached out and fastened her hand around Katy's arm, almost yanking her niece through the front door.

"_That's it… look, I'm really sorry._" Ronnie told Charlie quietly.

There was a slight pause and then he nodded, saying goodbye and walking away. Roxy and Katy exchanged a look of total bewilderment, before the younger blonde closed the door and they both directed their gaze to the eldest of the trio. Katy's eyes caught sight of the bags again and she looked between the sisters.

"What's going on?"

"Your mother is leaving." Roxy told her angrily.

"What?" Katy whirled around and stared at the older woman in confusion. "Mum… what is she on about?"

Sighing deeply, Ronnie led the way into the living room. She stared into the mirror above the mantelpiece for a moment, before picking up a couple of ornaments and photo frames and stuffing them into her bag. She didn't answer her daughter's questions, staring at the picture she had just picked up instead.

"_So is that it? Are you seeing someone else?_" Roxy asked when Ronnie stayed silent.

"_No._"

"_So what? Tell me._"

There was a pause before the older Mitchell sister answered. "_You were right. I'm a mess. So I am going to go away and I'm going to sort out a few things… big things, important things._"

"_Alright… and when you've sorted those things out?_"

"_When I've sorted those things out, I'll come home._"

"_Will you?_" Roxy asked, vulnerability shining in her eyes.

"_Yes, I promise._"

Katy glared at her. "You can't just go!" She snapped. "You can't just leave me. I need you, Mum! I'm twenty-eight weeks pregnant! You promised you'd never let me down again."

"I won't." Ronnie tried to assure her, stepping forwards and reaching for her daughter. Katy shook her off, taking a quick step backwards. "I won't be gone long. I'll be back before you know it."

"That's not good enough. I need you to stay; I need you here."

"And I need to go." Her mother told her calmly.

"You're so self–"

Katy was cut off as the door opened and Amy ran in, throwing herself into her aunt's arms and hugging her tightly. Ronnie scooped Ruby into her arms as well, holding her granddaughter close. The pregnant young woman turned away in disgust, unable to watch her mother acting as though there was nothing wrong. She felt betrayed and angry.

Listening to Ronnie explaining to the little girls that she was going away for a while, Katy clenched her hands into fists so tightly that she could feel her nails digging painfully into her palms. After hearing the blonde ask Aleks to look after Roxy, Ronnie took her sister by the arm and pulled her out into the hall. Roxy shot her niece a look, indicating that she could go with them, but the brunette refused, moving to glare out of the window instead.

She watched through a gap in the blinds as the two blondes embraced on the doorstep. Her feet remained clamped to the floor as she watched Ronnie turn and start walking across the Square and away from her. Almost without realising what she was doing, Katy rushed from the room.

"Mum!" She shouted, running as best as she could with her already huge bump hindering her. Ronnie paused and turned, fixing her with a teary smile. "Mum, wait." The young woman caught up with her, shifting nervously from one foot to the other as she struggled to meet her mother's eyes. "I'm sorry… you're not selfish, I just… I don't want to lose you again."

"You'll never lose me, sweetheart." Ronnie promised. "Never. You're my little girl and I love you, OK? Remember that. Whatever happens, I love you."

"I love you too." Katy mumbled, tears spilling down her cheeks.

With a final hug, Ronnie pressed a kiss to the top of her daughter's head and smiled at Roxy, who had wandered across the road to wrap an arm around her emotional niece. The brunette buried her face in her aunt's neck, sobbing ferociously. Sending them a final look, Ronnie turned and walked away, not looking back.

A couple of moments later, Katy pulled away from Roxy and strode into the house. She went straight up the stairs and closed her bedroom door firmly behind her. Just as she was about to drop onto her bed and bury her face in her pillow, she spotted a package on her duvet. Curiously, the young woman picked it up. A scrap of paper fluttered onto her bed and she picked it up; her eyes darting quickly over the familiar handwriting.

'Be careful. Keep this somewhere safe. Look after Ruby, Roxy and Amy. I love you. Mum x'

Ripping the paper off the object her mother had left for her, Katy's eyes grew wide and instinctively darted to the door to make sure no one had entered, even though she knew the door was shut. Biting her lip, Katy returned her attention to what she had been given. It was a gun.

Her hand trembled slightly as she gazed around the room for a suitable hiding place. Deciding on the top drawer of her bedside cabinet, Katy slid the weapon inside and partially covered it with what was already in the drawer. She frowned for a moment, before gathering up the paper and dropping it into the bin. Then she took a deep breath, wiped her eyes and went downstairs to join the others.


	48. Chapter 48

Katy struggled to come to terms with the fact that Ronnie had left her behind, yet again, with no more explanation than she had things to sort out. Roxy was doing her best to look after her niece and keep her calm and healthy but, as Dot pointed out in her usual cynical tone a fortnight after the older Mitchell sister's departure, Roxy struggled to keep herself in one piece most of the time. With things strained between her and Aleks, the blonde's attention was quite often focused elsewhere.

It was taking every ounce of the pregnant woman's focus to keep her childrens' parentage a secret. Every now and then someone would say something or ask a question and the truth was so close to slipping out that Katy had to bite her tongue to keep it hidden. Lauren and Whitney, intrigued by the secrecy surrounding the whole situation kept bombarding their best friend with questions until Katy finally snapped and told them to stop.

"Miss Mitchell?" Katy jumped as someone laid their hand on her arm as she crossed the Square. Turning, she found herself face to face with the Family Liaison Officer who had been around since Lucy's death and another, angrier, looking woman. "We need to ask you a few questions?"

"About?"

Emma smiled at her gently, obviously attempting to put her at ease. "We've just got a few more questions about the night Lucy died. Some things have come up that leave some gaps…"

"Your alibi is so flimsy a feather could knock it down." The older officer told her bluntly.

"And who the hell are you?" Katy snapped with a scowl.

"This is DI Keeble, Katy." Emma tried the gentle tack again.

"Right, well, when she gets some manners, I'll answer your stupid questions." The Mitchell told her, shooting another scowl at DI Keeble. "But until then, I'm busy."

"This isn't optional, Miss Mitchell." DI Keeble informed her coldly. "We need to speak to you."

Katy put her hand on her stomach. "Well I have a hospital appointment, so you'll have to wait."

DI Keeble looked immensely irritated, but there was nothing she could do as Roxy joined them, scowling at the officers and asking her niece whether she was ready to go to her appointment. Sending the two detectives a smile that didn't reach her eyes, Katy turned away and headed towards the tube with the blonde. Roxy sent her a curious look, before glancing over her shoulder to where DI Keeble and DC Summerhayes were still watching them.

"What was that about?"

"They want to ask me more questions about Lucy." Katy sighed, scowling at the floor.

Roxy inhaled sharply. "Why?"

"I dunno!"

"They must have said something." The older woman pressed, grasping her arm tightly.

Katy shook her off irritably. "Apparently my alibi isn't strong enough…"

"What did you tell them?"

"That I was at home… at the party."

"But you weren't… not all night, anyway." Roxy pointed out unnecessarily, earning herself a frosty scowl from her niece.

"I know that, but what am I supposed to tell them? They know that Lucy was sleeping with Max and as soon as they find out that I was too, they're going to jump to conclusions, aren't they! Especially when they realise that's where I was that night. Not to mention what everyone else is going to say and think..."

"Since when do you care what anyone else says or thinks?" Roxy asked as they pushed through the barriers.

Katy sighed as she heaved herself up the steep steps up to the platforms, just in time to see the train they wanted draw to a halt. "I don't care what most people think… but there's Lauren and Abi and… well, Dot? What's Jack going to say when he finds out?"

"You got yourself into this mess, babe…"

"Helpful." The brunette muttered, hurrying to catch the train before the doors closed. "What the hell is wrong with me?"

Roxy smiled ruefully and wrapped an arm around the younger woman's shoulders. "It's the Mitchell curse, babe. We never know what's good for us where men are concerned."

Changing the subject, Roxy started talking about various pointless things until they reached their destination. Katy smiled at the woman behind the reception desk in the pre-natal department of the hospital as she booked her in and told her to take a seat. They didn't have long to wait, before Anna the midwife called them into her examination room.

Anna chattered cheerfully as she did her routine checks, asking about Ruby and how she was growing up. Katy answered her questions, happy that she had the same midwife for this pregnancy as she had done for her previous one. Finally, Anna was satisfied she had done all the tests she needed to and settled herself in her chair.

"I'd like to schedule you in for a Caesarean Section." She told the young woman gently. Seeing the expression on Katy's face, she smiled. "It's routine for multiple births, because there tend to be more complications if we let them go full term."

"OK…" Katy agreed nervously.

"It'll be absolutely fine." Anna assured her with another smile. She tapped at her computer, bringing up the young woman's notes. "OK, you're due on September 30th, so how about we schedule you in for your C-Section on… the 20th?"

"I don't think I have plans that day." Katy tried to joke, her voice shaking slightly in her nervousness.

"Great."

As they left the hospital, Roxy pulled out her phone, immediately dialling a number and waiting for the call to connect. Katy stared at her in confusion for a moment, until she heard Roxy greeting her sister and rolled her eyes. The brunette listened as her aunt filled Ronnie in on the appointment, before holding her hand out to accept the phone when her mother asked to speak to her.

"What?" Roxy shrugged as Katy hung up and handed the handset back. "She wanted to know how it went."

"As soon as we stepped out of the hospital?"

"You don't keep Ronnie Mitchell waiting for information about her precious baby's health." The blonde joked, pushing her arm through her niece's.

Katy scoffed. "If she was that bothered about me she'd be here, not sunning herself in Spain with Aunty Peg."

"Katy…"

The brunette shrugged. "Whatever." She tugged the bottom of her jacket around her more tightly. "I've got to deal with the cops before then, anyway."

"What're you gonna tell them?" Roxy asked nervously, glancing sideways. "Maybe you should speak to Phil?"

"What, and tell him where I actually was?"

Roxy winced. "Maybe not…"

"I thought not." Katy replied, arching an eyebrow. Roxy shivered slightly at the expression, causing her niece to furrow her eyebrows. "What?"

"You looked exactly like Ronnie then. It freaked me out a bit."

Katy laughed and shook her head. "What would Mum do?"

"Ron would probably front it out." The blonde pointed out with a shrug. "She'd tell them where she was and let Max deal with the consequences."

"She probably would…" Katy agreed. Then she set her face into a more determined expression and nodded decisively. "Then that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to front it out. Stuff Max and his need to deny everything… I'm going to tell them exactly where I was."

"What about… well, what about Lauren and Abi and Jack? What about all the things you were panicking about?"

There was a pause as Katy tried to order her thoughts and formulate an answer that would adequately sum up how she felt. "If I don't tell them about me and Max, I have no alibi. I wasn't at the party and obviously they've got witnesses to confirm that, or they wouldn't be sniffing around. If I lie about being with Max and they find out… it's not going to look good. It's going to look bad anyway, but if I want to be around for my kids then I'm going to have to do something, Rox. I'm thinking about me and my family… I can't worry about everyone else too."

The blonde nodded, exhaling deeply and caressing her niece's cheek softly. "You're definitely a Mitchell, Katy. You're definitely your mother's daughter."


	49. Chapter 49

"Miss Mitchell? Well, this is a surprise."

As soon as they'd returned to the Square, Katy had made up her mind to go to the police station and get the whole thing over and done with. Roxy had suggested that she spoke to Max first, but Katy set her face into a determined scowl and said she'd rather not. Part of her was looking forward to knowing that he wouldn't know what had hit him when the police turned up on his doorstep.

"DI Keeble." Katy nodded at her, sending the woman the smallest of smiles. "I'm sorry about earlier. I was worried about my appointment. I shouldn't have been so rude."

DI Keeble looked taken aback by the Mitchell's words and tone. "Oh… I hope everything went well."

"Fine, thank you. Well, no further complications, anyway." Katy told her quickly. "So, you wanted to ask me some questions?"

Again the detective looked confused. Katy smiled internally, knowing that she hadn't expected one of the famed Walford Mitchells to voluntarily come into the station to talk to the police. Taking advantage of her distraction, Katy nodded towards the door that lead through to the interview rooms.

"Shall we? I need to get home to my daughter."

Once they were settled in the interview room with DC Summerhayes seated alongside the DI, Katy leant back in her seat, resting her hands carefully over her bump. She had waved her right to call Ritchie, telling them that she had nothing to hide. DI Keeble started the tape, before fixing Katy with a fierce stare. Katy assumed that she had got over her initial shock at the voluntary appearance of the Mitchell and was determined to try and catch her on the back foot.

"Where were you on the night Lucy Beale was killed, Miss Mitchell?" DI Keeble demanded, jumping straight in with the question she had been dying to ask all day.

"I was at the housewarming party my mum and aunt threw at our new house, number 27." Katy started. As the DI opened her mouth to dispute her words, the brunette smiled. "But then I left at… about eleven?"

The detective looked as though she had a bad taste in her mouth. "You never mentioned that when DS Bryant and DS Holt asked you about your whereabouts."

"Well, no." Katy admitted with a sigh. "When I spoke to your colleagues I didn't know what I know now." She told them with a slightly bitter smile. "I left the party to meet someone… someone who I should have known better than to meet. At the time I thought it would be best not to mention who I was with because of how much drama it would cause. Now, though…"

"Who did you meet, Miss Mitchell?" DI Keeble demanded impatiently.

Katy looked her square in the eyes and, almost defiantly, gave her a name. "Max Branning."

"Max Branning?" DC Summerhayes repeated shakily.

"Yes."

"And what was it that you discovered that's made you change your mind about telling us where you were?"

"He was sleeping with Lucy, wasn't he?" Katy snapped, letting her cool slip for a moment. Taking a breath, she reigned in her emotions. "I knew me and him weren't serious… I've known Max too long to ever imagine anything different. It was a bit of fun. I wouldn't have wanted it to be anything more; too many people would have got hurt… I guess they will now. But I've found that I don't care. I'm not lying anymore… especially not so he can save face. I've got my kids to think about."

"Is Max Branning the father of your baby?"

"Babies. I'm having twins." Katy informed her bluntly. "But no, no he's not. Thank fu– God. Thank God."

If Katy wasn't very much mistaken, DC Summerhayes had gone extremely pale. Before the young woman could make any comment, however, DI Keeble frowned at her. "So why now? Why are you telling the truth now?"

"Because I'm not stupid, DI Keeble. I can see how this is going." Katy leant forward, resting her elbows on the table between her and the detectives. "You've discovered that I wasn't at the party all night, so you decided that I **must** have something to do with Lucy's death. I didn't and I have an alibi to prove it. The only reason I didn't tell you lot straight away was because it would have been awkward and caused drama if everyone found out. But now… now I don't care about that. I didn't have anything to do with Lucy's death."

"You do realise we'll have to speak to Mr Branning about this?" DI Keeble challenged her.

"Go ahead." Katy shot back.

"I'll speak to him." DC Summerhayes offered at once.

Her superior shot her a strange look and shook her head. "No, I'll do it. I'd quite like to." She stood up. "Would you mind waiting here, Miss Mitchell? Just in case we need to speak to you some more."

"My pleasure." The Mitchell agreed, sending her a snide smile.

"Emma… stay here." DI Keeble ordered, leaving the room and closing the door firmly behind her.

Katy wouldn't admit it, but she was on tenterhooks waiting for the woman to return. She sat, looking outwardly calm, but inside she was buzzing with nervous energy. The young woman wouldn't put it past Max to completely deny that she had been with him; unless he realised that it would give him a solid alibi too.

What felt like hours later, the door opened and DI Keeble walked in. She pulled the door closed behind her and took her seat before speaking. Katy waited anxiously for the detective to tell her, one way or the other, whether Max had confirmed her alibi. DI Keeble let out a long sigh, almost sounding disappointed.

"Mr Branning confirms you were with him from about eleven fifteen on the night of Lucy Beale's death until half past five the next morning." As Katy smiled, the woman arched an eyebrow. "He also informed me that you've been sleeping with him since November and that you knew about his relationship with Lucy Beale before her death."

"He's wrong." Katy lied immediately. "I didn't find out until everyone else did."

"Really?"

"Yes. How would I know? Do you think Max would have told me he was sleeping with her at the same time? Or is he suggesting that Lucy would have told me?"

DI Keeble looked slightly unsure, but then she nodded slowly as though grudgingly admitting that it was unlikely that the dead girl would have admitted her affair to someone it was widely known that she severely disliked.

"When did your affair with Mr Branning end?"

"Before Lucy died. I'd had enough and I ended it. That night… it was a mistake."

DI Keeble ended the interview and stood up. She fixed Katy with a serious look as she showed her to the door. "I suggest, Miss Mitchell, that you think more carefully about who you enter into relationships with in the future."

"No offence, but I have a mother." Katy told her bluntly.

"I hope she's given you similar advice, then."

The brunette laughed, shouldering her bag. "She definitely has."


	50. Chapter 50

Life back on the Square was suddenly thrown into turmoil as the reason for DI Keeble's visit to the Branning household was gradually revealed to the residents of Walford. Katy held her head up, refusing to let the gossiping and curious looks that were sent in her direction get to her. Lauren and Abi were refusing to talk to her and, through Whitney and Lola, she had learnt that they were more hurt than angry. Katy did regret that and she asked her friends to let the Branning sisters know that, although it made very little difference.

Katy was also still maintaining that Max was definitely not the father of her unborn daughters. As she had guessed, everyone's minds had jumped to that conclusion as soon as they'd discovered the truth, but Katy was refusing to waver from her story that the father was some Spanish waiter she'd met while in Ibiza.

As time went on and preparations for Phil and Sharon's wedding got into full swing, Katy found herself being dragged along with Roxy as the older Mitchell threw herself into her duties. When Sharon announced that Linda was taking over as Maid of Honour, Katy thought that her aunt might blow a gasket. Instead, the blonde seethed. She ranted and raved as soon as they were behind closed doors, but in public she managed to keep her cool.

Not particularly bothered by ensuring that Sharon had a day to remember, Katy was still hoping that Phil would come to his senses and realise that it was Shirley that he should be with. Things seemed to be looking up as she spotted the former couple in each other's company more and more often as the wedding drew nearer.

Ben's reappearance on the Square seemed to put a drastic end to anything that was building between Phil and Shirley, however. Katy was at the Vic with Whitney and Nancy, trying to pretend that the suspicious stares and whisperings of the other punters wasn't bothering her, when the doors opened and Ben walked through them. Katy almost dropped her glass of orange juice in surprise, her eyes immediately seeking out Jay. He looked guiltily at her, apparently remembering his promise not to get involved with Ben.

"What the hell…?" Whitney muttered, shooting Katy a look. She frowned as her friend simply shrugged, a dark look on her face.

"Who's that?" Nancy asked, glancing between the other girls.

"Ben… Phil's son." Katy informed her bluntly. "He's just been released from prison."

Nancy chuckled. "What did he do? Steal someone's sweets?"

"Murder."

"Eh?" The blonde looked shocked, her eyes flicking back up to look at the boy standing awkwardly beside his father.

"He killed Heather, Shirley's best mate."

Nancy's mouth dropped open. "Oh my god, no way? Him?"

Standing up abruptly, Katy walked over to where Ben and Jay were standing near the bar. Ben's face split into a wide grin as she approached and he held his arms out for a hug. Pushing him away, Katy scowled.

"Look at you! You're huge!" Ben said with a beaming smile. "You look great, Katy. I've missed you."

"What are you doing here?" She hissed angrily. "Did you even… what about Shirley? How do you think she's gonna take you coming back?"

"I'm back here for Shirley." Ben told her. He glanced over his shoulder before reaching out and wrapping his hand around her arm. Pulling his cousin over to a quieter corner of the room, he looked at her carefully. "Dad should be with Shirl, not Sharon. I'm here to make sure he realises that before it's too late."

"What? You think Shirley's going to listen to anything you've got to say? After what you did?"

"It's worth a try. He can't marry Sharon!"

Shaking her head in disbelief, Katy pulled her arm out of Ben's grasp and turned away. Returning to her table, she picked up her things and told Whitney and Nancy that she was going home. When they complained, asking whether it had anything to do with Ben's sudden appearance, she shook her head and informed them that she was tired and needed to lie down. They didn't look convinced by her weak denial, but they didn't attempt to stop her.

Roxy jumped when the living room door opened, springing up into a seated position and pulling her unbuttoned top around her quickly. Aleks simply smiled at the pregnant brunette as she rolled her eyes.

"I thought you were at the pub."

"I was… but then Ben turned up." Katy told her, already turning to head upstairs. "Don't worry, I'm going to bed. I won't interrupt your night."

"Good plan… We've got a busy day tomorrow, what with the wedding." Roxy called after her. "Don't forget we need to be at the Vic by nine tomorrow morning to get our hair done."

"Yeah, yeah…"

Climbing the stairs, Katy looked in on Ruby and Amy who were fast asleep in their bedroom, before shutting herself in her own room. She lay on her bed, fully clothed, staring up at the ceiling. Just as she was starting to drift off into an uneasy sleep, her mobile vibrated on her bedside table and make her jerk awake in panic.

'**You can't avoid me forever, K. We're family.'**

Scowling at the message from Ben, Katy almost threw her phone back onto the cabinet beside her and turned onto her side, running a hand over her stomach. She sighed, wondering whether life would always be so dramatic. She knew that the answer to that question was a resounding yes, but there was nothing she could do to change it. The alternative, leaving the Square and starting a new life away from her family and friends, was something she didn't have it in her to consider. As much as they drove her crazy, as much as she sometimes wished for a quiet life, she couldn't imagine life being any different.


	51. Chapter 51

The next morning, the day of Phil and Sharon's wedding had finally arrived and Katy found herself being dragged round to the Vic to get ready with the bride and other bridesmaids. She still wasn't particularly thrilled about her position in the wedding of her step-uncle and the woman she couldn't stand, but Roxy was almost blackmailing her into being involved. Apparently Ben hadn't been able to put a stop to the celebrations either, not that Katy had expected him to be able to.

Roxy was still moaning about Linda having usurped her position as Matron of Honour as they sat in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches to their make-up. Having had enough, the heavily pregnant younger Mitchell told her aunt to take Amy home to get changed, while she waited for Dean to do her hair. Without much persuasion, Roxy agreed, hurrying off and leaving Katy to breathe a sigh of relief.

Her calmness didn't last long, however as, mid-way through a conversation with her friends down in the bar, Katy suddenly let out a gasp and clutched her stomach. Nancy looked alarmed, taking a hasty step towards the pregnant young woman and looking wildly at Whitney for a clue as to what might be happening. The darker girl looked just as concerned as her friend.

"Katy? What's wrong?" Nancy asked warily, laying a hand on her arm.

"I think... I think the babies are..." She broke off, breathing out in a sharp puff of air.

Before either of the younger girls could start panicking, the door that led up to the flat above the pub opened and Linda breezed through, ready to carry on giving orders in her role as matron of honour. Seeing the trio of distressed girls, however, her face fell and she assessed the situation immediately. Rounding the bar, she placed a firm hand on the small of Katy's back and began rubbing small, soothing circles.

"Nancy, call an ambulance." She ordered firmly. "Whitney, call Roxy and Lee take Ruby upstairs and look after her, will you?" They immediately jumped to attention, doing as they were told. "Now, sweetheart, you just breathe deeply and stay calm, alright."

"I want..." Katy broke off with a low groan as a pain rippled through her. "I want my mum."

"Johnny, use Katy's phone to call Ronnie and tell her what's happening." Linda ordered her son, never stopping the circles she was rubbing on the girl's back. "Where is your mum, sweetheart?"

"In Spain," the brunette ground out, "with… with Aunty Peggy. She was supposed to be here... The doctor said it was too dangerous for the babies to come naturally... The C-Section isn't scheduled for another week!"

As Katy started to cry in a mixture of pain and fear, Linda exchanged a look with the three youngsters who were desperately trying to make phone calls. Nancy was deep in conversation with the operator, explaining what was going on. Whitney and Johnny, however, shook their heads at her, indicating that they couldn't get through to the Mitchell sisters.

It seemed like hours to Katy before the tell-tale sound of a siren outside the pub alerted them to the arrival of the ambulance, seconds before two paramedics burst through the doors and immediately took over the situation. They ushered Katy towards the ambulance hastily, before one climbed into the cab and the other turned to the growing crowd quickly.

"Is anyone coming with her?"

"I will." Whitney said at once, putting a foot on the step and hoisting herself up into the back of the ambulance.

Linda nodded. "I'll keep trying Ronnie and Roxy."

The doors of the ambulance closed and the Carters watched it drive away around the Square. Nancy rested her arm around her mother's shoulders as it went, before Linda turned to smile at her, pulling out her mobile and striding back into the pub. She dialled Roxy's number and held the handset to her ear impatiently.

Apparently believing that it was wedding related business, the younger of the Mitchell sisters answered impatiently on the third ring. "Yes, Linda, I'm on my way! Amy, will you please just–"

"Katy's gone into labour." Linda cut across her. "We've called an ambulance and they've just left for the hospital."

"You what?"

"She wanted me to call Ronnie, but we can't get through."

"Ruby?"

"Lee's looking after her. We'll take her to the wedding with us. I'll send Nancy over for Amy too if you want?" The landlady suggested, sensing that Roxy probably hadn't even considered what would happen with her own daughter.

"Right... thanks, Linda..." Roxy agreed distractedly.

She hung up and ran a hand distractedly through her hair, trying to get her head around what she'd been told. Calling out for her daughter, telling her it was important, Roxy tore around the house looking for her keys. When she heard the doorbell, she twisted the latch and rushed away without even checking who was standing on the step, assuming it was Nancy coming to collect Amy.

A familiar voice soon stopped her in her tracks and she turned slowly, staring at the figure of her sister on the doorstep. Immediately forgetting the urgency of the situation at hand, Roxy beamed and hugged Ronnie tightly, before the older Mitchell broke free.

When her eyes fell on the unmistakable pregnancy bump Ronnie was sporting under the flowing dress she was wearing, no doubt for Phil's wedding, her mouth dropped open. She pointed wordlessly at it, before her mouth caught up with her mind.

"_I can't believe it!_" Roxy grinned as Ronnie led the way into the front room. "_Why didn't you just tell me before? Huh? Oh, look, it doesn't matter 'cos I'm gonna be an Aunty in like four, five, months?_"

"_Umm… four._" Ronnie agreed, unable to keep the beaming smile off her face. She was relieved by her sister's reaction.

"_You're five months gone?_"

"_Oh! Congratulations, Roxanne, you didn't even use your fingers!_" The older blonde teased her good-naturedly.

"_Hold on a minute… so you were pregnant when you left? So why didn't you just tell me? Why did you just go off like that?_" Roxy demanded, suddenly realising what the dates meant. "Did you tell Katy?" When her sister didn't respond, or even meet her eyes, she frowned. "_It's Charlie's, isn't it? It's Charlie's?_"

There was no time to refute or agree with the accusation, because Aunt Sal and Dot appeared in the doorway at that exact moment. The older blonde sent her niece an accusatory glare as she entered the room.

"_There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!_"

"_Ronnie!_" Dot beamed at her. "_How lovely to see you._"

"_Hi!_"

"_Good job I bumped into Dot._" Sal groused.

Dot nodded. "_Well you've found Roxy now, so we'd better get a move on._" She turned to the blonde in the bridesmaid's dress quickly. "_Err, Roxy, it's the bride what's supposed to be fashionably late, not the bloomin' bridesmaid–_"

"Shit!" Roxy exclaimed, waving a hand in the elderly woman's direction as she suddenly remembered what had put her into a fluster in the first place. "Sorry, Dot! Ron… we've got to get to the hospital! Katy's gone into labour!"


	52. Chapter 52

"She's… she's what?" Ronnie demanded, turning a furious eye on her sister. "When? Why were you…? Katy's in labour?"

Waving off the accusing scowl that the older woman was sending her, Roxy asked if Dot and Sal would wait with Amy until Nancy arrived to collect her, before dragging her sister out of the house by her hand. They hailed a cab and directed the driver to take them to the hospital as quickly as possible.

Ronnie was still snapping at her sister as they drew up in the hospital car park. She was out of the cab and half way towards the entrance before Roxy had managed to throw some notes at the driver and follow her. By the time the younger Mitchell sister reached the reception desk, the woman behind it was already pointing a panicking Ronnie towards the delivery room where Katy had been taken. Ronnie didn't wait around long enough to hear the receptionist telling her that she wouldn't be allowed in while the operation was taking place.

"Thanks." Roxy called over her shoulder as she rushed down the corridor after her older sister. "Ronnie… Ron!"

"Where is it?" Ronnie muttered distractedly, looking around for the room where her daughter was being treated.

"Mrs Branning?"

Ronnie glanced up at the sound of her former last name and found herself looking into the face of her daughter's midwife. She bit the inside of her lap, trying to force herself to remain civil. "It's Ms Mitchell, actually."

"Sorry, Ms Mitchell." Anna smiled warmly at her and nodded her head towards a door further along the corridor. "If you want to follow me, we'll get you a set of scrubs and you can come in and see Katy."

"I'll just…" Roxy looked around and spotted some seats against the wall. "I'll wait here."

Ronnie nodded at her but said nothing, following the midwife along the corridor and into a small room where she washed her hands and allowed herself to be bundled into a set of scrubs. From there, she followed Anna into the delivery suite where Katy was lying on a bed. A screen had been put up to prevent the young woman from seeing what was happening, but Ronnie made her way straight to her daughter's side, grasping her hand tightly and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Mum?" Katy asked weakly, as though she couldn't believe the blonde was there.

"Yes, baby, I'm here." Ronnie smiled at her gently. "I promised I would be, didn't I?"

"You always keep your promises."

"Yes, baby."

There was a high pitched cry and Ronnie's head shot round in the direction of the sound. Her eyes widened as she watched the doctor hand one of her new-born granddaughters to a nurse. The woman carried the baby over to a table and did the usual checks, before wrapping the little girl in a blanket and bringing her towards the Mitchells.

"Baby number one." The nurse smiled between them. "A healthy little girl."

"Give her to Mum…" Katy ordered weakly, her head turning to the side and her eyes slipping closed as though it was all too much for her.

Ronnie looked at her in concern as she accepted the baby carefully. "Katy? Baby? Are you alright?"

"BP's dropping." Another nurse announced as the machine beside Katy began to beep. "80 over 50."

As the beeping became angrier, the doctor looked up. "She's bleeding out. Someone get some replacement bloods in here. O negative until we can match her blood type."

"BP still dropping; 80 over 40."

"Can we hurry up with that blood?" The doctor demanded. "OK, we'll have to get the next baby out fast so that we can try and find the bleed."

Ronnie was on pins watching as the doctor and nurses buzzed around Katy. She bounced the baby in her arms agitatedly, her face pale and her eyes wide. There was nothing she could do to help her daughter and it almost killed her to admit it. Her heart leapt in her chest as she heard the shrill cry of another baby and watched as the second of her granddaughters was checked over and brought towards her.

Almost without realising what she was doing, Ronnie shifted the first baby slightly so that there was room for the second in her arms. She watched for a couple of minutes, before she was ushered out of the delivery room. Anna was waiting outside the door for her, ready to distract her attention away from what was happening to Katy.

"They're beautiful."

"Mmm…" Ronnie looked past her through the window into the room where her daughter was. "What's going on?"

"Don't worry about Katy." Anna advised her with a warm smile. "She's a tough cookie. You worry about these little cuties. Do they have names?"

"I… I don't know…" Ronnie realised, looking down at the two bundles in her arms.

"Paige and Sienna." Roxy said quietly, appearing at her sister's side and peering at the babies. She smiled as Ronnie indicated that she should take the closest one, settling her gently against her chest. "They're gorgeous."

"How's Katy doing?" Whitney asked, appearing in front of them with a cup in her hand. Seeing the expression on Ronnie's face, her eyes flickered quickly to look at Roxy. "What? What is it?"

"There were complications." Ronnie told her bluntly.

"So… is she…"

"No!" Roxy burst out, realising what the young woman was hinting at. "God, no! She's…" She took a deep breath, wondering whether Whitney's morbid guess was close to the truth. "Ron?"

"She's developed a bleed. I don't know anything else." The older Mitchell sister replied bluntly, turning and fixing her gaze on the room where her daughter was being operated on.

Almost in a daze, Ronnie shifted the baby she was holding into Whitney's arms and moved closer to the covered window. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried to peer through the tiny slits between the horizontal blinds. Time seemed to be moving incredibly slowly and, although it was just shy of an hour when the door opened and the doctor appeared in the corridor, Ronnie felt as though she'd been standing on the same spot for days on end.

"Is she alright?" The blonde demanded at once.

The doctor smiled. "She's fine." He assured her. Moving backwards, they watched as Katy was wheeled through the double doors on her bed. A nurse gently relieved Roxy and Whitney of the new-borns, following their mother out of sight. "We're moving her back to a private room now so that she can get some peace."

"Can I see her?"

"Of course." The man smiled warmly. "We've sedated her so that she can get some rest and start to heal. The medication should wear off in the next couple of hours and she'll be able to talk to you and meet her daughters." Clearing his throat, his expression turned serious. "I'm sorry to have to tell you that the third baby died shortly after birth. We did all we could, but–"

"Hang on…" Ronnie held up her hands, frowning at the doctor. "Third baby?"

"Yes… a boy. He was much smaller than his sisters and was having difficulty breathing on his own. We tried to–"

"No… go back… third baby?" The blonde was having trouble processing what she was hearing. "Katy was having twins. That's two babies… there was no third baby?"

"The third baby must have been obscured during the scans. It happens from time to time; it's not as uncommon as you might think."

Roxy tilted her head to the side, laying a hand on her sister's arm as a silent show of sympathy and support. "So… there was another baby, but he died. Does Katy know?"

The doctor nodded. "She does. She asked to hold the baby when we realised there was nothing more we could do."

"But the other babies are healthy?" Ronnie demanded, almost angrily.

"Perfectly."

"I want to see Katy." The blonde told him.

With a nod, he indicated that she should follow him, before leading the way to the private room where Katy and her babies had been taken.

* * *

><p><em><strong>I'm so sorry this update has been so delayed! I'm also sorry that it's tinged with sadness after you've waited so long!<br>**_

_**And now... I fell down the stairs and I've broken my wrist, so there may be another delay before the next update. I'm sorry!  
><strong>_

_**x**_


	53. Chapter 53

When the medication wore off and Katy gradually regained consciousness, Ronnie jerked awake, almost as though she could sense the change in her daughter's state. At once she was attentive, leaning forward and giving their conjoined hands a tight squeeze. Raising her hand, she pushed Katy's hair out of her face and sent her a bright smile.

"Hey, baby, how are you feeling?"

"How are the babies?"

Ronnie swallowed. "Your daughters are doing well. They've been waiting for you to wake up and give them a big cuddle."

"Mum, I… is it my fault?"

"Is what your fault, sweetie?"

"Is it my fault he died?" Katy asked in a small voice. She raised her tear-filled eyes to meet her mother's. "I didn't know. I… is it my fault?"

"No!" Ronnie shook her head vehemently. "No, it's not your fault. The doctor said that there was nothing they could do. He was smaller than the other two and he wasn't breathing on his own. It is not your fault."

"But I…"

"Was it my fault James died?"

"No! Mum, I–"

The blonde smiled tightly and shook her head again. "It's no more your fault that your son died than it is my fault James died. It's a tragedy that we'll deal with together, alright?"

Sniffing, her daughter nodded. Then she pulled herself up into a seated position and looked around the room. Her eyes fell on the two plastic cots that contained her new-born daughters. "Are they…?"

"They're sleeping." Ronnie agreed, realising what her daughter was asking.

"Oh…"

"But I'm sure they definitely want to be woken up for a cuddle with their mummy."

"Where's Ruby?"

"Dot and Aunt Sal took her and Amy to the wedding."

"Good…" The young woman nodded tiredly. "Don't." She stopped her mother and Ronnie moved to scoop one of the babies out of the cot. "Leave them."

"Katy…"

"They'll be awake soon enough and wanting to be fed." The brunette reasoned. "Let them sleep a little bit longer."

There was a slightly uncomfortable pause while Ronnie took her seat once more. She sighed deeply, reaching out for Katy's hand once more. The teenager allowed her mother the contact, but didn't meet her eyes. Instead, she kept her gaze fixed on the door at the foot of her bed.

"So… Roxy tells me you've decided on names?" The older Mitchell attempted to break the silence. "You never said."

"Yeah, well…"

"Paige and Sienna… they're beautiful names."

Katy shook her head. "I've changed my mind. I don't think they're right. Not now I've seen them."

Ronnie blinked. "Oh..."

"I was… what do you think of Jessica Katherine and Sophie Roxanne?"

"You're naming your daughter after Roxy?" The blonde quirked an eyebrow. "Are you sure that's wise?"

Katy was unable to suppress a smile. "I don't think anything will rub off from just the name." She tilted her head. "You haven't told me what you think."

"I think they're beautiful names." Ronnie replied seriously, leaning in to press a kiss to her daughter's forehead. "Ruby, Jessica and Sophie. Beautiful."

"And… and I thought…"

"What, sweetheart?"

"I want to name my little boy after Jack… and James." Katy told her softly. "Jack James Mitchell."

If her daughter wasn't very much surprised there was a definite tear in the blonde's eyes as she smiled. "That's lovely."

Almost as though they had broken down an invisible barrier between them, the atmosphere in the hospital room lightened immensely. Katy had been worried about how her mother would react to her idea for what to name her son and Ronnie had been anxious about how the younger woman would deal with the terrible event. She was still slightly concerned about the fact that Katy didn't seem to want to hold her daughters, but she decided to believe her when she said that it was just because she didn't want to wake them.

"Mum…" Katy chewed her lip, wondering whether she was imaging things after listening to her mother talking about the time she'd spent in Spain with Peggy. "Don't get offended if you're not… but… are you pregnant?"

It was Ronnie's turn to bite her lip, looking a little nervous. "I am."

"Oh…"

The blonde winced. "How do you feel about that?"

Katy shrugged. "To be completely honest… I'm not sure." She admitted. "I think… I think I'm pleased for you. I mean, of course I'm pleased for you, but I… it's just a bit weird to think about, you know?" She rubbed her forehead, trying to combat her baby brain and get her thoughts in order. "I mean… that's my little brother or sister in there and I've just given birth to your grandchildren. Ruby's gonna be almost four years older than her aunt or uncle…"

"Is that a problem?"

"No, not really. It's just… going to take some getting used to, I guess. And… I'm gonna have to get used to sharing you."

Ronnie looked at her carefully. "This isn't going to change anything between us." She promised. "You're still my baby. You and Rox… you're my best friends and the most important people in my life and nothing is ever going to change that. I love you, Katy."

"I know." The young brunette agreed, but she looked calmer at the confirmation. "So, when's it due? And who's the dad?"

"January and… Charlie Cotton."

Katy's eyes almost popped out of her head. "Charlie Cotton?" She pulled a face. "But… he's Dot's grandson? He's like… Jack's step-nephew…"

"Katy!" Ronnie complained. "You're making it sound weird."

"Sorry… but it is a little bit weird."

"It's not weird." Her mother told her firmly. "Besides, it doesn't make any difference. This is my baby. It's nothing to do with him."

"You're not going to tell him?"

"No."

Katy arched an eyebrow. "He's not stupid… surely he'll work it out?"

Ronnie shrugged. "So what? I'll deny it. Like you did."

Ignoring the dig, her daughter frowned. "Mum… there's a difference. Max is a selfish idiot. As much as I hate to admit it, Charlie's a nice guy and I think he genuinely likes you. What is there to stop things working out between you?"

"Because, like you said, he's a nice guy. We only slept together once. He didn't sign up for any of this; a baby, becoming part of the Mitchells. It wouldn't be fair on him."

"Surely that's his choice?"

Ronnie made a noncommittal noise. To her relief, one of the babies woke up at that exact moment and prevented the conversation continuing. She sent a wary look towards her daughter, wondering how she'd react to the infant and was relieved to see that Katy was looking expectantly at her.

With a smile, the blonde scooped the crying baby gently out of the cot and into her arms. She carried her over to the bed and put her into Katy's arms. The brunette looked down at the squirming, pink bundle with a look of total awe. She traced the outline of her daughter's face with one finger, before stroking her tiny fingers softly.

"She's beautiful." Katy whispered. When Ronnie settled carefully beside her on the bed with the other baby in her arms, the brunette looked between them, memorising the differences in the little girls. "They're both beautiful."

"They are." Her mother agreed. "And they're both hungry, so you feed that one, while I have a cuddle with this one."


	54. Chapter 54

It was almost two weeks before Katy was allowed to leave the hospital with her daughters. News of the tragedy that had struck the teenager had spread around the Square like wildfire and she'd had a lot of visitors while she had been kept under observation. Her visitors had also filled her in on the gossip from Walford and Katy was almost desperate to get home and find out from the Carters if there was any news of Shirley. She knew that she should be furious with the woman for shooting Phil, but she couldn't be. She loved Shirley and she knew that the woman had every right to be angry with her step-uncle.

When she did return to the house she shared with her mother and aunt, she found that she had a new step-father to contend with. Ronnie and Charlie, when he had found out about the baby, had decided to try and make a relationship work. Things were incredibly awkward between him and Katy; the young woman's jealousy and fear of losing her mother again making her incredibly hostile to the man she feared would come between them.

Dot, on the other hand, was delighted at the change of circumstances. She even encouraged her grandson to propose to Ronnie. Katy was shocked when her mother announced that she had accepted the proposal. She had never expected Ronnie to make such a commitment, especially to a man she barely knew. The engagement was the catalyst that Katy needed to force her to try and build up a relationship with Charlie, realising that her mother was serious and he wasn't going anywhere.

As the months passed and the twins got older, the subtle differences between them got more pronounced. Jessica was dark, like Katy, while Sophie was blonde, like Ronnie. Their mother was immensely relieved that neither of them had Max's colouring. That would have been a dead giveaway and, so far, no one had suspected anything.

The day before baby Jack's funeral, Lauren had made peace with her best friend. She forgave her for having an affair with Max and supported her through what was one of the hardest days of her life. It was the first time Katy had been glad that Ronnie had Charlie around, watching how he stayed beside her mother through the day, which had brought up painful memories of losing her own son.

Sitting in the café a couple of weeks later, Katy was just thinking about going to collect Ruby from nursery, when Sonia approached the table where she was sitting with Lauren and Whitney. Pausing in her task of strapping Sophie into the double buggy, the brunette listened to the woman's suggestion that the trio get involved in the calendar that she was organising to raise money for FatBlasters.

"Are you kidding?" Katy asked, unable to hide her laughter. "I gave birth to triplets a month ago."

"You look great, though." Sonia told her. "The three of you getting involved would definitely help to boost sales."

Lauren nodded enthusiastically. "I'm up for it."

"Me too." Whitney agreed. "Come on, K!"

"I'll think about it." The Mitchell conceded, privately thinking that there was no way she'd be taking off her clothes in front of a camera any time soon.

"She won't." Lauren informed Sonia decisively. "She'll do it. We all will."

As the woman grinned and noted their names on her clipboard, Katy shot her friends a glare. They laughed and helped her manoeuvre the buggy out of the café and along Bridge Street. When she, grumpily, asked why they were following her, Whitney announced that they had nothing else to do and were coming to pick up Ruby and Amy with her.

"Why aren't you at work?" Katy asked irritably, secretly grateful for the company.

"Inset day." Whitney replied, examining her nails. "They're doing training on some new maths scheme or something. I'm not sure, but it means I get a day off, so I'm all for it!"

"Anyway, enough of that…" Lauren rolled her eyes, but pushed her arm through the older girl's, signalling that she was only joking. "Have you told the dad yet?"

"No." Katy snapped back sharply.

"Are you going to?"

"No!"

"Why not?"

Pausing and waiting for the traffic lights to change, Katy frowned. "Because it's none of his business. We slept together once and he knocked me up. I don't want anything else from him."

"What was his name?" Whitney asked with a grin. "Pedro? Alejandro?"

"Carlos? Enrique?" Lauren chipped in, giggling.

"Juan?"

Katy rolled her eyes. "Shut up."

"I mean, I'm surprised you didn't go for something Spanish for the twins… Maria? Carmen? Consuela?"

"Again, shut up." Katy ordered.

"Conchita Mitchell." Whitney nodded slowly. "It's got a ring to it."

"You'll have a ringing in your ears in a minute." The young mum threatened. "Just drop it, alright?"

"Why is this such a big issue?" Lauren asked, suddenly suspicious. "It's not like we know him, is it? Why won't you just tell us his name?"

Whitney's eyes opened comically wide as a thought occurred to her. "What if we do know him? What if Katy was pregnant before she went to Spain?"

"Oh my god…"

"Is that it?" The brunette prompted her friend. "Is that why you went to Spain?"

"I didn't know I was pregnant until I came back, did I?" Katy pointed out, using the busy road as an excuse and refusing to look at either of them.

"That's what you're saying…"

"I didn't!"

"So why is it such a secret?" Lauren pushed. "I reckon you slept with someone on the Square that…" She stopped abruptly and went deathly pale. "Fuck."

"What?" Whitney asked, not realising the thought that had popped into both of her friends' minds.

"Are they… did… did my dad get you pregnant?"

"What?"

"No!" Katy exclaimed at the same moment as both girls whirled round to face her. "Of course not! Do you seriously think that if Max had got me pregnant I'd have kept the baby? D'you think I'd want to be reminded of what I did?"

Apparently unsure of whether to believe her or not, Lauren nodded tightly. "So…?"

Katy sighed deeply. "He was called Daniel… his dad, Carlos, was Mum and Roxy's business partner." She told them, deciding to stick to facts and stretch them a bit to suit her purposes. "We went to the Flower Power Fiesta and… I guess the peace and love atmosphere went to my head."

"Flower Power Fiesta?" Whitney laughed.

"The celebration for the Patron Saint of San Antonio." The Mitchell explained with another sigh. "There's a carnival and a massive street party. It's amazing!"

"So, this Daniel is the girls' dad?" Lauren asked, still slightly suspicious. When Katy nodded, she arched an eyebrow. "Got a picture?"

Fumbling in her pocket, Katy was relieved that she had stuck to actual events. Pulling out her mobile, she scrolled through her photo library until she found a picture of herself and Daniel, dressed up in their hippy outfits at the street party.

"He's gorgeous, babe!" Whitney pointed out, clearly impressed. She passed the phone back and nodded. "I can see it… Jessica's got his eyes."

Letting out a breath of relief, hoping that she'd managed to get away with it and convince them that Daniel was the babies' father, Katy left them at the bottom of the steps and rang the doorbell of Ruby's nursery. She briefly spoke to the young woman who ran the facility, before scooping her daughter into her arms. Luckily, when she returned to the pavement, the conversation had moved on and nothing more was mentioned.


	55. Chapter 55

'**You ready? xox****'**

Katy read the message from her friend and rolled her eyes. **'****As I****'****ll ever be. x****'**

It was mid-November and the last thing the Mitchell felt like doing was taking her clothes off and posing for photos for the charity calendar. Roxy, though, was having her photo taken with Aleks and she had refused to let her niece back out if she was being forced to take part. Instead, Katy had left her daughters with her mother and was heading towards the tube station to meet Whitney and Lauren and the photographers.

Arching an eyebrow as she was positioned between her friends behind an inflatable lilo, Katy shivered against the cold. Thankfully the photographer was satisfied after a couple of shots and they were able to wrap themselves up again quickly.

"Drink?" Whitney suggested as they headed away from the station after being thanked by Sonia and Pam.

"I've got to get back. Dad's invited Emma's parents over for dinner." Lauren told them, rolling her eyes. "I think they think I'm a stripper or something. When I left, her Mum asked whether I was doing the photoshoot dressed like this and I told them I'd be wearing a lot less in the photos."

Her friends laughed. "Have fun."

"What about you?" Whitney asked, linking her arm though Katy's as they neared the Vic.

"Wouldn't you rather have a drink with Lee?"

"Why are they mutually exclusive?"

"I dunno, mate. I think I should get back. I've left Ruby and the twins with Mum."

"I'm sure your mum and Charlie have got it covered."

"She's seven months pregnant." Katy reminded her. "I don't want to take advantage… thanks for the offer, though."

Leaving Whitney outside the Vic, Katy crossed the gardens and headed towards number 27. She spotted Emma climbing the steps up to the Brannings' front door and paused, tilting her head slightly to one side as she appraised the scene. She watched as the door opened and Max appeared, smiling at his new girlfriend and kissing her quickly before ushering her inside. Something inside the young brunette twisted bitterly and she narrowed her eyes.

She looked at the cars parked outside the large house and scowled. Jealousy flared up inside her as she thought about everything Lauren and Abi had. It wasn't as though Jessica and Sophie would want for anything, Ronnie would make absolutely sure that they all had what they needed, but suddenly Katy didn't see why Max should get away scot-free. He was swanning around the Square without a care in the world while she was a single mother of three.

"Katy?"

"Oh…" She jumped slightly at the feeling of an arm being slung around her shoulders. "Rox?"

"What are you looking at?"

"I was just thinking."

"About…?"

"It doesn't seem fair that Max got me pregnant but has absolutely no responsibility to face up to."

Roxy frowned. "I thought you wanted it that way?"

The younger Mitchell shrugged. "Maybe I've changed my mind."

"Listen, Katy… I'm all for Max getting what he deserves, but it's not just you and him involved in all this… what about Jessica and Sophie? If you tell him they're his, is he going to want access to them?"

"He's not getting access."

"You can't stop him."

"I can."

"Not if you demand child support from him. Legally he'll have rights."

Katy arched an eyebrow at her. "If we do it legally, yes." She agreed. "I can't see Max wanting it broadcast, though, can you? Not when he's all loved up with the copper? He's not going to want to risk things with her, let alone Lauren and Abi, if this comes out."

"So… what? Are you going to blackmail him?"

"Blackmail is such a horrible word…"

Roxy shuddered almost imperceptibly, watching her niece carefully. "You are so like Ronnie it's terrifying."

"I'm not letting a man walk all over me. Not again." They both remembered what had happened with Nathan and Carl.

An icy shiver ran down the blonde's spine. "Katy…"

"Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything drastic." The younger Mitchell promised her. "I'm just going to point out that it would be in his best interests to keep this quiet and, for me to do that, I'm going to need some compensation."

Unsure how to respond to the suddenly emotionless expression and tone that her niece had used, Roxy just nodded slowly and turned to head home. She pulled Katy along by the hand, deciding that she needed to speak to Ronnie and tell her what the young woman was planning before Katy went any further with it.

x-x

Waiting until she was sure there was no one else in the house, Katy climbed the steps of the Brannings' with her baby daughter's in her arms. She kicked the door with the toe of her boot, having both her hands full, and waited until she heard the sound of the latch being twisted on the other side.

Not allowing Max to say anything or invite her inside, Katy pushed past him and walked straight into the living room. She stood in the centre of the room, waiting expectantly for him to follow her in. Looking confused, her ex-lover appeared in the doorway. He put his hands on his hips and stared at her, clearly wondering what she was doing there.

"Katy? Listen, babe, I've got to get to–"

"I thought it was time you properly met your daughters." She cut him off, raising her chin and staring defiantly back at him.

Max's face crumpled as her words sank in. He took a quick step towards her. "Are you mad? Keep your voice down, yeah?"

"I know there's no one else here. I watched them leaving before I came."

"What… why…?" He rubbed his head nervously. "You said…"

"Yeah. I said they weren't yours. I lied."

"Why would you…?"

"Why d'you think?" Katy asked him bluntly. "D'you think I wanted people to know you'd knocked me up? It was bad enough when Lauren and Abi just knew I'd slept with you."

"So… what?" Max asked, gesturing towards the babies with one hand. "You've changed your mind?"

She laughed mirthlessly. "No. I just started thinking. Why should Jessica and Sophie miss out on anything when you're over here living your perfect life with your new girlfriend? What d'you reckon she'd say if she found out you'd got a vulnerable young woman pregnant and then abandoned her?"

"What?"

"Oh, yeah…" Katy took a step forward. "I mean, it's not exactly a secret what I went through before I came here and how I got pregnant with Ruby, is it?"

"What d'you want, Katy?" Max asked, sighing deeply.

"Ten grand."

He gaped at her. "You are kidding?"

"No. I want ten grand or I'm telling them everything."


	56. Chapter 56

"Katy?" Ronnie poked her head around the banister and peered up the stairs, waiting to hear a response from her daughter. When there was no reply, she furrowed her eyebrows and used the wooden rail to help pull herself up the steps. "Katy?"

"She went out about ten minutes ago." Lola told her cousin, causing the older woman to jump.

"Oh... How long have you been here?"

"Half an hour?" The teenager shrugged. "I came round to ask K something, then she asked me to watch Ruby for a bit while she took the twins out."

Ronnie frowned. "Where is she? I need to talk to her."

"I dunno, Ron."

"Think, Lola. What did she say? It's really important."

The teenager shrugged. "I dunno! She just said that she needed to pop out with the twins for a bit to sort something and could I watch Ruby."

Swearing, Ronnie suddenly realised where her daughter had gone. She asked Lola to keep an eye on Amy as well, before descending the staircase and grabbing her coat off the hook beside the front door. Crossing the Square as quickly as she could manage, Ronnie climbed the steps outside the Brannings' house and banged her fist on the door.

Shifting agitatedly from foot-to-foot, the Mitchell waited for someone to let her in. As soon as she heard the sound of the latch she was pushing her way inside, not unlike her daughter had done earlier. Sending Max a hard glare, she looked around, poking her head into the living room.

"Where's Katy?"

"Gone."

"Where?"

He shrugged. "No idea. She came round her shouting her mouth off; threatening to tell everyone that I'm the twins' dad and demanding ten grand to keep it quiet. I told her to sling her hook and she went."

"When was this?"

"About ten, fifteen minutes ago."

Ronnie exhaled sharply. "Why didn't you call me?"

"I didn't get the chance, Ronnie! She was like a mad thing."

"Afterwards?"

"My life doesn't revolve around your headcase daughter!"

Ronnie narrowed her eyes and jabbed a threatening finger in his direction. "It did when you were sleeping with her."

"Yeah, well..."

"Did she have the babies with her?"

Max nodded. "She was carrying them."

"Did she say anything about where she was going next?"

"No. She'll probably be at home plotting her next move."

"She's not." Ronnie told him in a low voice. "That's why I came looking for her."

Rubbing the back of his head agitatedly, Max sighed. "She'll be back. She probably just needs to cool off a bit."

"It's cold out there and she's got the twins without their pram. And, if what you said is right, she's not exactly thinking straight, is she?"

"I never said that."

"She's demanding ten grand to keep a secret she wanted kept quiet," Ronnie pointed out, "does that sound like she's thinking straight?"

As though a lightbulb had been switched on, Max seemed to see the situation as it was. He picked up his mobile and searched the contacts, dialling Katy's number. It went straight to answerphone. Putting it on the table, he darted into the hall and grabbed his coat.

"What are you doing?"

"Going to look for her." He replied, as though it was obvious. "Like you said, she's out there somewhere with the twins not in her right mind."

"I never said she wasn't in her right mind." Ronnie said hastily, almost repeating his earlier words. "Besides we both know she'd never do anything to put those girls in danger. They're the reason she tried to blackmail you. She just wants to make sure they get the life she never had."

"And whose fault is that, eh?" Max asked her bluntly.

Ronnie looked as though she'd been slapped. "Excuse me?"

"If anything happens to Katy or the twins, it's down to you."

Ronnie clenched her jaw, furious but deciding that her need to find her daughter overruled her anger at the man in front of her. "We'll play the blame game later. Let's just find her."

x-x

After leaving Max's, Katy didn't know where to go. The realisation that she hadn't thought things through and had probably just made her situation much worse hit her as she was crossing the Square. Now that Max knew about the twins being his there was almost no doubt in Katy's mind that he would demand access to them, especially as he hadn't seemed as bothered by other people finding out the truth as she had expected.

Sinking onto the bench in the Gardens, the young woman cursed her impulsiveness. She had just wanted to be able to give her children the best, but now she had definitely made things worse. Hating that she should, perhaps, have listened to her aunt when Roxy had tried to dissuade her from attempting to blackmail Max, Katy turned her eyes to the sky, letting out a sharp exhalation.

Her eyes fell on the Vic and she stood slowly. Glancing down at the babies in her arms who were, mercifully, still asleep, she headed slowly across the road and over to the door of the pub. Using her shoulder, she pushed through the swing door and looked around. Her eyes settled on the middle-aged blonde who was propping up the bar with a glass and bottle of vodka in front of her. An unspoken message passed between the pair and Shirley slipped off her stool, nodding her head towards the door that led to the private quarters of the pub.

"What's happened?" She asked in her usual gruff tone as soon as they were upstairs in the kitchen.

"I've done something really stupid."

The blonde sighed. "I guessed as much. Specifically?"

"I told the twins' dad about them. I tried to blackmail him into paying me ten grand to keep quiet."

"And Max wouldn't pay up?"

Katy blinked at her, shocked that she had used the man's name. "How-"

"Doesn't take a genius." Shirley pointed out bluntly. "You had an affair with Max, you won't tell anyone who the dad is and now you've tried to blackmail him to keep it quiet."

"What am I going to do?"

With a deep sigh, Shirley held out her arms for one of the sleeping babies. Handing Sophie over, the young brunette slipped into a chair at the table, shifting Jessica into a more comfortable position. They stayed quiet for a minute and then the blonde shook her head.

"Why are you Mitchells so impulsive?"

"It's a family trait." Katy sighed. "Too hot-headed for our own good."

"You told your mum?"

"No."

"You planning to?"

Katy nodded. "She's gonna go mad."

"Course she will; you're an idiot."

"I'd have been an idiot with ten grand if it had worked."

"Did you seriously think it would?" Shirley asked, arching an eyebrow. Before the brunette could answer they heard someone in the hallway and Shirley stood up. She handed the baby back to her mother quickly. "Gimme a second."

Curiously, Katy walked quietly over to the door that Shirley had pulled closed when she left the room and pressed her ear against the tiny gap between the door and the frame, listening to the hushed conversation taking place outside.

"... obviously he didn't agree. Dunno why she thought he would."

"She's a sandwich or two short of a picnic that one." Babe replied. "Not that you can blame her; it'd be a miracle if she'd turned out normal. What with who her mother and family are and everything that's happened to her."

"She's fine." Shirley replied quickly, a surge of maternal feeling rising up inside her as she listened to her aunt's disparaging assessment of the young mother.

"She's damaged goods."

"Shut up." Shirley snapped.

"There's something dangerous about that girl. There's darkness in her, mark my words."

"Oh, stop it, Babe. Not a word to anyone, understand?"

"Course not." The older woman agreed. "It'll all come out in the wash soon enough, anyway."

Katy scowled at the door, clenching her teeth. As she heard the sound of Shirley heading back towards the kitchen, she darted back to the table and sat down just as the blonde reappeared and smiled weakly at her.


	57. Chapter 57

"I'd better get going." Katy said as soon as Shirley reappeared in the kitchen. She stood up and moved to the door. "Bye."

"Katy… Katy!"

But the young woman had no intention of hanging around. She almost pushed Mick back down the stairs in her rush to leave the pub. He shouted after her, but she ignored him, kicking the door to the back alley open and hurrying through it. Emerging onto Bridge Street, Katy felt as though all eyes were on her. She could almost hear people whispering to each other as they glanced in her direction and then looked hurriedly away and huddled closer to their friends.

Keeping her head held high, the young woman stalked through the crowds and in the direction of the house she shared with her mother and aunt. She was a Mitchell, she reminded herself firmly. She was a Mitchell and she didn't care what anyone else thought of her. As long as she remembered that everything she did was for her family, then that was all that mattered. She didn't care what anyone else said or thought.

"Where the hell have you been?" Ronnie hissed, catching hold of her daughter's arm as Katy entered the Gardens.

The brunette jumped, whirling round in surprise. "Mum! I…"

"I know exactly where you went and what you tried to do. Are you insane?"

"If he'd agreed–"

Ronnie shook her head. "Max was never going to agree to that!"

"I thought he'd want it kept a secret. I didn't think he'd want to risk losing Emma or Abi and Lauren!"

"You stupid girl!" Her mother pulled her towards their house, pausing to unlock the front door before pushing her inside, more gently than she would have done if Katy hadn't been cradling her daughters. "Now you've told him that he's Jessica and Sophie's father what d'you think he's going to do? He's going to want access to them!"

"No, he won't!"

Raising her hands to her head as her daughter gently settled the babies in their bouncy chairs in the living room, Ronnie shook her head. "You're completely deluded! There is no way that Max is going to let this go or pretend that he's forgotten that the twins are his! I thought Roxy was ridiculous to take you seriously when you came up with this fucking stupid idea, but she was right!"

"He has no right! All he's got is the fact that I told him they were his when I asked for ten grand to keep it a secret!" Katy reasoned. "That's not evidence!"

"He can demand a paternity test!"

"He's not having one!"

"How are you going to stop him?" Ronnie demanded. "Seriously?"

"He's not taking my daughters!"

Shaking her head, the blonde ran a hand through her hair, pacing the living room agitatedly. "You'd better tell Jack."

"What?" Katy gaped at her. "No way!"

"D'you want him to find out from Max?"

"No!"

"Then tell him before Max or someone else does."

Biting her lip, the young woman sank onto the sofa, hiding her head in her hands. "Do you honestly think Max is going to fight me on this?"

Sighing deeply and taking pity on her daughter, Ronnie sat beside her. She hesitated for a moment, before wrapping her arm around Katy's shoulders. "I think he might."

"But…"

"When he'd just been sleeping with you it was one thing, but now he's got the twins to think about. It's not just a case of denying that he was having an affair with his daughter's best friend, anymore. He's a father and that changes things." Ronnie tried to explain gently. "Think about all the mistakes and missed time he's had with Lauren and Abi and Oscar? Put yourself in his shoes; wouldn't you want access to your children?"

"I've fucked up big time, haven't I?"

"It's definitely going to take some damage control." Her mother agreed. "I think someone's going to have to sedate Phil when he finds out. He was ready to do some serious damage when he found out Max was sleeping with you."

Katy leant back and shook her head. "How do we play this so we keep the upper hand? If I have to acknowledge that Max is part of their lives, I want it to be on my terms."

"He isn't put on the birth certificates." Ronnie told her at once. "If there's no legal evidence that he's the father then he can't demand anything; it'll all be down to you. Let him see them, but not unsupervised. Everything that happens is because you've allowed it."

"Alright." She sighed. "Lauren's never going to speak to me again after this, is she?"

"Possibly not."

"What's wrong with me, Mum?" The young woman asked. "Why do I have to mess everything up? Why did I have to have an affair with my best friend's dad? Why did I have to try to blackmail him?"

Ronnie didn't have an answer for that. Her daughter was far more hot-headed and inclined to act rashly than she was. She felt things strongly and reacted passionately and instinctively. Katy was much more like Roxy in that respect. Ronnie preferred to take her time; to keep her cards close to her chest. She liked to plot and plan and ensure that the finer details were in place before she made her first move.

Holding the young woman close, she stroked her hair gently, pressing kisses to the side of her head as she thought hard about what to do for the best. Deciding that speaking to Max, trying to make him see things their way, was probably the best course of action, Ronnie realised that she would have to be the one to do it. Roxy and Katy were far too likely to fly off the handle and make things worse and Phil would be too much of a risk to Max's health. It was at times like this when Ronnie really missed Peggy's presence on the Square.

It wasn't long before Jessica started crying; squirming in her bouncy chair as her tiny face turned bright red. Seconds later, Sophie was making just as much noise and Katy rolled off the sofa to see to them. Taking her chance, Ronnie left the room and closed the door behind her. She had grabbed her coat off the pegs and was out of the front door before Katy even realised her mother had gone.

Knocking on the Brannings' front door for the second time that day, although this time she wasn't hammering on it with her fist, Ronnie hoped that she wouldn't be confronted with the whole family. The conversation was going to be difficult enough as it was, without having to deal with everyone else as well.

"I need to speak to you." She said in a low voice when the man she was looking for answered. "Now."

"It's not really a good time."

"Tough."

"My girls are in here." Max told her, stepping forward and pulling the door almost closed behind him. "This isn't a conversation I want to have in front of them."

"That's not my problem." Ronnie replied coldly. "My daughter is my problem. My daughter and my granddaughters. I need to know what you're planning to do."

He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Are they really mine?" Ronnie didn't answer. She didn't make any sign that she had heard what he'd said, let alone confirmed or denied it. "I want a paternity test."

"No. That's not going to happen."

They stared at each other, neither wanting to break the uneasy silence between them for fear of backing down and giving the other the advantage. After a couple of minutes, the door behind Max opened and Abi appeared in the gap, looking bemusedly between the pair.

"Hey? Are you coming in, Ronnie?"

She shook her head. "No, thank you, Abi. I just needed to ask your dad something."

"Oh… right…"

"Yeah, ummm…" Max sent the blonde a warning look before turning to smile at his younger daughter. He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I'll be in now, Abs. Go and set the table, alright?"

When she had retreated, Ronnie arched an eyebrow at him. "Well?"

"Fine." He held up his hands. "No DNA test. But I'm not paying Katy anything to keep quiet."

"No… I wouldn't expect you to do that." The woman said, shaking her head. "Katy regrets asking you to."

"But if they are mine I want to see them."

"You want Emma and the girls to find out?" Ronnie asked. "You want everyone on the Square to know?"

Max shrugged. "I've dealt with worse."

There was another pause. "Alright." The Mitchell agreed. "I'll speak to Katy. But, for now, don't say anything to anyone. Understand?"

He nodded and Ronnie turned, making her way down the steps and back towards the house without a backwards glance. Max watched her go, putting his hands on his hips as he thought about the situation. Then she exhaled sharply before going into the house and closing the front door with a firm click.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Merry Christmas! :D**_

_**x**_


	58. Chapter 58

"What?" Roxy couldn't believe what her sister was telling her. She leapt to her feet and put her hands on her hips as she regarded the pregnant blonde who was sitting on the sofa, painting her fingernails as though she didn't have a care in the world. "You cannot be serious, Ronnie!"

"I'm perfectly serious. Katy's agreed."

"But… but…"

"Listen, Roxy. Max is their father, whether we like it or not–"

"Not."

"– and this way we can control the situation." Ronnie finished, ignoring her younger sister's interruption. "We can say when he sees them and where and for how long. We are, or rather Katy is, in control."

"And Katy's agreed?" Roxy asked, looking as though she couldn't believe that for a moment. "She's actually agreed to acknowledge that Max is the twins' dad and let him see them?"

"She knows she doesn't have a choice after the little stunt she tried to pull."

"Really?"

"Phil went mad." Ronnie told her, putting the lid back on the bottle of nail varnish and turning her full attention to the conversation. "I thought he was going to go straight over to the Brannings' and kill Max with his bare hands. Luckily he saw sense when I pointed out that Max would have to do as we said if he wanted to see the girls." She rolled her eyes. "You know how much our darling Phillip loves having things to hold over people's heads."

Roxy exhaled sharply, shaking her head and dropping heavily onto the sofa beside her sister. "What was she thinking… I thought Katy had the brains. But to let Max Branning get her pregnant…"

Ronnie sent her a pointed look. "Oh yes… because my ex-husband isn't Amy's father, is he?"

"That was different!" The younger woman protested. "That was–"

"A mistake? What do you think Katy would call this situation?"

"Fair point." Roxy acknowledged.

Her sister sighed. "She's really going to need our support when the truth comes out, Rox. It was bad enough when people found out about the affair. When they find out about the twins…"

"We'll have her back, Ron, always. She's a Mitchell; anyone who wants to say something to Katy can say it to the rest of us too."

With an amused smile, Ronnie stood up and walked to the living room door. "Sometimes I wonder about this family, I really do."

x-x

Following Ronnie's deal with Max, Katy had allowed him to get to know the twins under her supervision. So far no one else had discovered the truth about their parentage, but the young woman was still nervous of other people finding out. The former couple had been to visit baby Jack's grave together, too, allowing the man to grieve for the son he had never met.

When, one afternoon a couple of days after their trip to the grave, Max invited Katy over to a small party at the Brannings' she was incredibly suspicious. He was quick to assure her that there was a big surprise coming, but it wasn't for her. When Katy was still reluctant, he told her that it was something to do with Lauren and his daughter would be gutted if her best friend missed it.

"Where are you going?" Roxy demanded as her niece dropped onto the sofa beside her to pull on her boots.

"Lauren's." Katy informed her quickly, jumping back to her feet and moving to check her appearance in the mirror. Catching sight of the blonde's reflection, she sighed. "There's something happening and Max said that Lauren would want me there."

"What is it?"

Katy shrugged. "I dunno… it's a surprise."

"Really?" Roxy arched an eyebrow, unconvinced.

"Oh, shut up, Rox." The brunette muttered. "It's totally innocent." She held up her hands. "I'm not even taking the twins!"

"Oh, right! I suppose you're expecting me to look after them, are you?"

"Well, I thought you might want to spend some time with your great-nieces, Aunty Roxanne. Otherwise I can ask–"

Roxy sighed deeply. "It's fine. It's not like I have anything else to do tonight, anyway."

"Thanks." Katy sent her a genuine smile and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I owe you."

"Yeah, you do!" The blonde shouted as the younger woman let herself out of the house and closed the front door firmly.

Grinning, Katy pulled her jacket more tightly around her as she headed towards the Brannings'. Fat Boy, Tamwar and Lee were heading in the same direction, so the brunette paused and waited for them. Fat Boy grinned broadly, slinging an arm around her shoulders as they reached the spot where she was standing.

They went up the steps together and Lee rang the doorbell, waiting for someone to answer it. When Max did, letting the group in, Katy didn't meet his eyes. Instead she hung her jacket on the banister at the foot of the stairs and followed her friends through into the living room. Grinning broadly and laughing as Fat Boy attempted to lift her up to get past, she gratefully accepted the bottle of lager he held out in her direction.

"Any idea why we're here?" She asked Tamwar in a low voice, taking a gulp of her drink and looking around.

He shook his head, looking characteristically awkward. "No idea at all. Max said it was for Lauren and she'd appreciate it. That's all I know."

"Fair enough." The young woman shrugged and moved to the sofa, plopping down on it and nudging Lee in the ribs to make him move over slightly. "You know why we're here?"

He shook his head. "Nope."

"Good good…"

They didn't have long to wait before Lauren herself appeared. She frowned at the sight of her friends littering up the living room and apparently had even less of an idea as to why they were all gathered there than the others did.

"_What are you all doing here?_"

Lee shrugged, pausing in handing Katy a second bottle. "_Your old man said it was for you._"

"_Me? Why?_"

A knock on the front door prevented Max from having to answer and he went to see who was there, leaving Lauren to move closer to Katy, pushing her arm through her friend's and sending her a quizzical look. The older girl simply shrugged and handed her a glass of lemonade as a replacement for the lager she was drinking.

"I don't know." She pre-empted the question that she knew was on the tip of Lauren's tongue. "Your dad just told us to be here at six."

"What's he playing at?" Lauren hissed, narrowing her eyes.

Their confusion only deepened when Jane and Ian walked into the room. "_Oh, right, so… you're all in on the surprise?_"

"_Uhh… no. My dad won't tell us what's going on. I have no idea… I think he's a breakdown or something…_"

The uncomfortable situation went on a little longer, with their theories as to why Max had asked them to be there getting more and more absurd. When Fat Boy suggested that he might be about to announce that he'd won the lottery and wanted to give them ten grand each, Katy actually dropped her bottle of lager in shock. She whirled on him, about to ask him what he meant. Then she realised she was being total irrational. Fat Boy couldn't have meant anything by it; it was just a joke.

"You alright?" Lauren asked, furrowing her eyebrows at her friend's strange behaviour.

"Yeah, sorry…" Katy smiled weakly, collecting the broken glass in her hand and carrying it into the kitchen. "Tired, that's all."

"_Peter!_" The younger girl physically pushed Katy out of her way to get to her boyfriend who had just walked into the room.

They watched, smiling happily, as the greetings took place between the couple and then Peter and his dad. The atmosphere was slightly perturbing. Ian didn't seem happy in the slightest to see his son and Katy briefly wondered what could possibly have happened since Peter had gone to New Zealand to change things between them so drastically.

And then suddenly Peter was on one knee, holding out a ring box and proposing to Lauren. It seemed to be perfect timing as Ian stood and walked out, allowing Lauren to turn and meet her best friend's eyes; shooting Katy a look of total panic. Peter pushed the ring box into her hands, before rushing out after his father, leaving Katy to gather Lauren into her arms and walk her over to sit on the sofa.


	59. Chapter 59

"What are you going to say?" Katy asked in a low voice. She frowned as Lauren shrugged uneasily. "Surely that shouldn't be something you really need to think about?"

"What would you do?"

"It ain't really up to me, is it?" The older girl pointed out. "No one's ever proposed to me… I've never had to think about it." She hesitated. "D'you love him?"

"Course."

"Can you imagine spending the rest of your life with him?"

"… Yeah."

"Would you be gutted if he got with someone else?"

Lauren sent her a look. "Duh."

"Well then," Katy shrugged, "look's like you've already made your mind up."

"_So… you gonna have a look?_" Abi asked, settling herself on her sister's other side.

Lauren shook her head slowly. "_He said to wait, didn't he?_"

"_Well just a peek!_"

"_No!_"

"Leave it, yeah, Abs." Katy suggested gently, sending the blonde a small smile and shaking her head slightly.

Sensing that his younger daughter was about to make a comment, Max drew attention towards him quickly. "_Right. That's it; show's over. Come on._"

"_No, no, no. I want everyone here, dad._" Lauren argued, shaking her head. "_Please. Just… get them a drink or something._"

"_Want another drink?_"

Everyone nodded and agreed, except Katy, who stood up and shook her head. "I'd better go… I need to check on the girls."

"Please, K." Her friend implored her, grabbing her hand and holding it tightly. "Please don't leave."

With a sigh, the older girl nodded her assent and sat down again. She barely listened to Lauren and Abi having almost an identical conversation to the one they'd had moments previously. It seemed as though the brunette was still struggling with what to answer when her boyfriend came back to ask the question properly.

"_What's the matter with ya?_" Max demanded suddenly, bursting into the room and fixing Abi with a far from impressed scowl. "_What? Ben Mitchell? You having a laugh, Abs?_"

The blonde looked shocked. "_What? How did you find out?_"

"_Sorry, Abi, I thought he knew._" Emma apologised hastily.

"_Oh, thanks a lot!_"

"_Listen, Abs, you ain't going out with a gay convicted murderer!_" Her father shouted after her as she stormed away up the stairs. "_D'you hear me?_"

"_How much weirder can this day get?_" Lauren demanded, looking around at the people gathered in her living room as the front door slammed.

"Ben Mitchell?" Fat Boy spluttered in amusement. "She's gotta be kidding right? Ben Mitchell?"

"Oi." Katy warned him, arching an eyebrow. "He might be a prat, but he's still family."

"Sorry, baby girl." He apologised quickly, holding up his hands to show he meant no disrespect.

"It's fine." She sighed, shaking her head. "I agree though… Ben's gay."

"Well my sister ain't a bloke." Lauren pointed out. They heard footsteps on the stairs and she held up her hand, before standing and going to the door. "Let me speak to her."

They all nodded, watching her leave and close the door firmly, before breaking off into their own little conversations. Katy met Emma's eyes awkwardly, before attempting to draw Tamwar into conversation so that she wouldn't have to talk to her ex-lover's new girlfriend. She couldn't think of anything more uncomfortable, especially as she was a police officer.

Finally, Max returned and announced that Abi wasn't allowed to see Ben anymore. True to form, the blonde stormed out, slamming the door behind her. In the almost uneasy quiet that followed her exit, Katy found herself itching to leave. It was just awkward being around Max and Emma and she felt like she was in the way. Just as she was making up her mind to excuse herself, the front door opened and Peter reappeared, looking much calmer than he had done when he'd left.

"_I'm back!_" He grinned. "_You opened it yet?_"

"_No, you told me not to, didn't you._" Lauren reminded him. "_Everything alright with your dad?_"

"_Oh, yeah… he's just… ummm… he's just annoyed I missed my flight yesterday._" Peter blatantly lied. "_I don't actually know what to do now I'm here…_"

"_Why don't you ask me again?_"

"_Ummm… I need the ring._" He pointed out in a low voice. Laughing, Lauren rushed over to get it from the table, before returning and holding it out. Going down on one knee, Peter opened the box and held it out. "_Will you marry me?_"

There was a pause as Lauren looked at the ring and then, slowly, a smile spread over her face. "_Yeah._"

Everyone burst into a round of applause as they kissed, revelling in the truly happy moment that they had witnessed. After bestowing the happy couple with a hug, Katy quickly made her excuses and headed home before the speeches could start. While she was pleased for her friends, she didn't think she wanted to stick around and hear everyone fawning over them.

Instead she went in search of her mother and aunt, finding them curled up together on the sofa with a box of chocolates and a film on the telly. Dropping down between them and pulling the box onto her lap, shoving a strawberry dream straight into her mouth, Katy proceeded to fill them in on the events of the evening. When she told them about Ben and Abi's secret romance, both blondes' mouths dropped open.

"You're kidding?" Roxy gaped. "Ben? Our Ben? Gay Ben?"

"Mmmhmm." Katy agreed, not pausing in her search through the chocolates for a toffee one. "Apparently he's not gay anymore."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that." She agreed with her mother. "I don't understand him. He spent all that time trying to get Phil's approval and, as soon as he seems to have it, he goes back on it. It's crazy."

"Enough about Ben." Roxy waved her hands in front of her niece's face, earning herself a scowl. "I am trying to plan the wedding of the year, here. What are your thoughts on dark purple bridesmaid's dresses?"

Ronnie and Katy looked at each other, before they both turned to Roxy. "No."

"Pink?" She suggested, not in the least perturbed. "I mean, it's only gonna be me and Katy wearing the dress anyway."

"No way!" The brunette complained. "I'm not wearing pink."

"Blue?"

There was a pause and then Katy shrugged. "I could work with blue."

Ronnie laughed and nudged her daughter in the ribs. "Don't I get a say?"

"Nope. You're only the bride; it doesn't matter what you think."

"Charming."

"Besides, if you're willing to let Roxy plan your wedding for you then you have to learn to give up control. She's lost her head, Mum. You'd have thought she was planning Wills and Kate's wedding the way she's going on about it."

Ronnie laughed again. "If it's good enough for them it's definitely good enough for me." She winked. "This is a Mitchell wedding, remember? It has to be the best."

"You're getting married in The Albert, Mum. It's hardly Westminster Abbey or wherever they did it."

"Alright…" The eldest of the trio frowned lightly; a little hurt at the way her daughter was downplaying it. "It might not be up to royal standards, but it's my wedding, I'm marrying Charlie and you lot will be there. That's all I care about."

"Sorry…" Katy apologised quickly. "I didn't mean… I'm just tired."

"Yeah, well…"

The atmosphere was frosty for a while, before Roxy broke the tension by rushing off to get the box where she was keeping all of her ideas for the wedding to show them something. Katy sent her mother a weak smile, causing Ronnie to sigh and wrap her arm around the brunette tightly. As she pressed a kiss to the side of her head, Katy snuggled closer, closing her eyes and revelling in the comfort that Ronnie always managed to provide.


	60. Chapter 60

"Come on, lazy bones!" Ronnie called, leaning against the doorframe and laughing at her daughter who was stretched out on the sofa in front of the television. "We're going Christmas shopping."

"Really?" Katy complained. "You know how much hassle it is manoeuvring that pram around the shops."

"That is why I've got you a babysitter." Her mother grinned. "Dot said she'd love to have them for a couple of hours. I also told Yvonne that it would be the perfect opportunity for her to spend time with her step-great-granddaughters. She looked positively thrilled at the prospect."

Katy frowned and lowered her voice. "I don't want Nick near them."

"No, me neither." Ronnie agreed. "They're coming here. I said that it would be easier for them to look after the twins here, than carting all their stuff across the Square."

"And they went for that?"

The blonde shrugged. "They didn't say anything."

So, twenty minutes later, Katy found herself saying goodbye to her daughters and being pulled along Bridge Street with her mother on one arm and her aunt on the other. They were full of festive cheer, laughing and joking as they made their way towards the tube station, intent on going up West and spending a lot of money.

"_Hi! Is that for us?_" Roxy asked as they spotted Aleks buying a large Christmas tree off one of the market traders.

"_Who else?_" He asked with a broad smile that didn't quite meet his eyes. "_Hey, I'm cooking for you later._"

Ronnie arched an eyebrow. "_Somebody's up to something._"

"_Yeah, he's cooking._" Roxy said defensively as her boyfriend paid the man for the tree. "_It's not Latvian food, is it?_"

"_You know what they say, when a man cooks you dinner–_" Ronnie started.

"_Charlie's taking you out so we can be alone._" Aleks interrupted her before she could finish.

Katy looked between them. "And who am I? Caspar the friendly fucking ghost?"

"_Oh, I'm onto a promise._" Roxy teased. "So you, my girl, will need to make yourself scarce."

"Ew." Her niece complained, pulling a face.

"Aww… don't worry, I'm sure we can find you a friend to play with."

"_Just be there, OK?_" Aleks snapped, causing all three Mitchells to send him an unimpressed look.

"_Alright, Aleks._" Roxy muttered. "_Come on._"

They had turned and walked away, when he called after them. "_Roxy! I love you._"

"_I love you too._" She called back, causing Katy to roll her eyes and punch her lightly on the arm.

"So gross." She muttered, shaking her head and laughing.

"_Oi!_" Roxy gasped out instinctively as a dark haired woman brushed past her roughly, sending the blonde crashing into the two women beside her. "_Oi! Excuse me?_"

There was no sign that the woman had even heard her, so Katy grabbed her aunt's arm and shook her head. She pulled her round and forced her to keep walking. Roxy growled under her breath, but didn't fight against them as they continued towards the tube station.

She was still complaining when they got off at the other end. Ronnie rolled her eyes and pulled her into a department store, finally managing to distract her with a rail of dresses that immediately captured the younger woman's attention.

When Ronnie and Roxy had finally managed to decide on new outfits for their dates that evening, the trio of Mitchells headed back to the Square. Katy was slightly jealous of the older women's relationships, secretly wondering whether she'd be able to find someone like they had. It was her own fault, she knew, choosing the wrong ones every time, but it didn't make it easier to deal with. It was especially difficult when she knew that she would have to find somewhere to take Amy, Ruby and the twins to give Roxy and Aleks their privacy.

"You don't have to go straight away." Ronnie told her, almost reluctant to let her daughter leave while she and Roxy were still getting ready. "At least wait until Charlie and Aleks arrive!"

"Where are you going, anyway?" Roxy asked, not looking up from her mirror.

"Lola's. I considered taking them round Lauren's, but then changed my mind."

Ronnie sent her a look. "Probably wise." Then she grinned at Roxy. "_Look at you, tarting yourself up, it's only dinner!_"

"_Yeah, cooked by my boyfriend._"

"_He'll probably come home with a takeaway._" The older woman teased.

"_Ha ha, shut up._"

There was a knock at the door and, as neither blonde moved to answer it, Katy stood up. "I'll get it, shall I?"

"Yeah, cheers, babe." Roxy thanked her, fluffing up her hair in the mirror. "_Why does he never remember his keys anyway?_"

"_He probably can't get to them because he's too busy carrying all the pizza boxes._" Ronnie joked, earning herself a playful slap from her sister.

"_Ahhh! You're so funny!_" Roxy informed her while her niece chuckled at their stupidity.

Rolling her eyes, Katy went out into the hallway and twisted the latch, expecting either Aleks or her future stepfather to be standing on the doorstep. Instead she was greeted by a woman she vaguely recognised, but couldn't immediately place, and a girl who looked about Tiffany's age.

"Err… hi?"

The woman said something in a language Katy didn't understand and then, looking past her, asked, "_Roxy?_"

Turning her head, Katy realised that both blondes were standing behind her looking equally confused. Sensing that no one knew what to do in the situation, the brunette stood aside and let the two strangers in. Ronnie shrugged and then led the way back into the living room, where they stood in awkward silence for a while, just looking at each other.

None of the Mitchells had any idea what the woman was saying when she eventually spoke, but all three of them guessed it wasn't exactly complimentary, especially when the little girl glanced sharply at her mother and said her name, apparently shocked at what she'd said.

"_What did she call me?_" Roxy demanded angrily.

"_She said… you have nice home._" The little girl told her, clearly trying to diffuse the tension.

The Mitchells laughed mirthlessly. "_No she didn't._ _I've seen you on the market, haven't I?_"

"_My mother… she wanted to meet you._"

"_Yeah, why?_" Ronnie demanded. "_Why d'you wanna meet my sister?_"

As the girl translated the question for her mother, Roxy muttered under her breath. "_Why d'you think?"_

"_To see with whom,_" the woman started, before going back to her native language.

"_Listen, Aleks isn't here_." Roxy informed the girl. "_Tell her he isn't–_"

"_We will…_" She tried again, before reverting to the other language, which Katy assumed was Latvian, again. The only thing she managed to pick out was a word that clearly meant she was calling Roxy a prostitute.

Katy's jaw almost hit the floor and she leapt forwards instinctively to defend her aunt. Ronnie's hand closed in a vice like grip around her bicep, holding her back, while she raised her other hand to point at the woman furiously.

"_Excuse me! Did you just call her a prostitute?_" She demanded.

"I swear to god–" Katy started as well, but Roxy held up her hands.

"_OK. Look, look, look… just… do me a favour; tell your mum, yeah, that I'm really sorry and I'm sure this is very difficult for her, but I am not the reason your dad is divorcing her._"

There was a shocked silence. "_He… say this? Divorce?_"

The tension was so thick it could have been cut with a knife. No one had any idea where to go from the bombshell that Roxy appeared to have just dropped on Aleks' wife. Suddenly the front door opened and a Christmas tree came flying through, landing in the hallway on the other side of the living room door. Before anyone could say anything, or even move, Aleks walked in and took one look at the females gathered inside before his face fell.


	61. Chapter 61

There was a hurried conversation in Latvian, before he attempted to apologise to Roxy.

"_She knows I your wife!_"

Aleks looked terrified. He looked even more so when Roxy leant forwards and hissed at him in a low, dangerous voice. "_And you didn't tell her anything, did you?_" When he didn't answer, she lost her temper. "_You told me you had split with her!_"

"_He say you crazy lady in pub._"

Katy couldn't help laughing at that description of her aunt, but quickly turned it into a cough as her mother sent her a warning glare. The conversation reverted to Latvian and the Mitchells stared, trying to gage what was being said.

"_I knew this would happen…_" Ronnie muttered.

"_Look, he told me it was over, OK?_"

"_Don't justify yourself!_"

"_Roxy, I haven't been with her!_" Aleks tried to tell her.

"_You, lying!_" His wife almost wailed. "_Your office, we…_"

Katy made a disgusted sound in her throat, narrowing her eyes at the man in front of hem. Beside her, Ronnie laughed mirthlessly, shaking her head. "_I told her! I told her that you couldn't be trusted!_"

"_I only took you back because you promised me… you promised me you'd split with her!_" Roxy snarled.

"_I have split with her. She's just here to sort the divorce_."

"You fucking liar!" Katy ground out, unable to bite her tongue at the blatant lie.

"_Don't lie, Aleks!_"

"_You don't even talk to me… once!_"

"_Aleks you're going to have to make a decision._" Roxy told him, much to her sister and niece's consternation. "_You're going to have to choose._"

"You're kidding?" Katy spat out, rounding on her aunt. "You can't seriously want him after this?"

"_Roxy, please._"

"_Four years you leave me, our daughter, while you live good here… London._"

"_Which one, Aleks?_"

"_And now is me._" Aleks tried to speak to her, but she cut him off angrily. "_No! I hear you, in market, you say you love her. I think 'yeah, yeah', but I see. It true._"

They watched in confusion as Aleks' wife spoke to their daughter softly, kissing her on the forehead. Katy glanced at her mother, who just shook her head and jerked her shoulders in an approximation of a shrug. Aleks joined the conversation, clearly trying to change his wife's mind about something.

"_Your dad has good job… good schools… you have future here._" Aleks said something to her and she glared furiously before slapping him with every ounce of strength she possessed. "_You did!_"

As she stormed out, she spat in Roxy's face. The blonde reacted at once, launching herself after the other woman, but Ronnie grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back, holding her tightly.

"_Wait! Wait, wait…_" Ronnie touched Roxy's cheek gently, before grabbing her daughter. With her free hand, she pointed threateningly at Aleks. "_You better sort this out._"

Pulling Katy lightly by the hand, she sent a fleeting smile at the little girl who looked totally shell shocked by the whole situation. Katy didn't blame her; she couldn't imagine how she'd feel in that position. Closing the kitchen door behind them, Ronnie sighed deeply and flicked the switch on the kettle. Tossing her mobile to her daughter she sighed again.

"Text Charlie and tell him dinner's off."

"Why?"

"I can't leave Roxy to deal with this on her own."

"She's not on her own." Katy pointed out. "I'm here."

"Sweetie, you're not exactly…"

"What?"

"Well… sympathetic? Good at advice?"

"Great, thanks, Mum." The brunette muttered.

Ronnie chuckled and patted her cheek. "But you're you and we love you for it."

"That's it!" They both jumped as Roxy threw open the door and it banged loudly off the wall. "I'm done with him. He's out!"

"Good." Katy muttered.

"You sure?" Ronnie asked, wanting to make sure her sister was serious.

"A hundred per cent. I'm so done with him and his lies!" She nodded decisively. "I'm going to pack his stuff. You two make sure he leaves."

The watched as she stamped away, hearing her footsteps thudding up the stairs. Exchanging a look, the mother and daughter made their way along the hallway and into the living room. Aleks was speaking in rapid Latvian to his daughter who still didn't seem to realise quite what was happening. She looked over as the women entered the room and they both attempted to send her reassuring smiles.

"Roxy wants you gone." Ronnie told Aleks in a hard voice. "Now."

He clenched his jaw but nodded. "OK."

"Take your tree with you." Katy ordered, folding her arms.

He looked at her, but didn't argue. They watched as he attempted to gather up the Christmas tree, carrying it through the front door and down the steps. He'd just dumped it on the pavement when they heard the sound of the upstairs window sliding open and something threw through the air, hitting the pillar beside where Aleks was standing with a thump.

"_Happishki Christmas!_" Roxy shouted from upstairs, before a loud bang signalled that she'd slammed the window shut.

Aleks gazed at Ronnie and Katy who were standing in the doorway, before turning to look at Charlie who had appeared behind him. "_They're all crazy._"

Charlie said nothing, walking past him and following the Mitchell women into the house. He closed the front door behind him before saying anything at all. "You gonna tell me what's happened?"

"Not now." Ronnie informed him, heading up the stairs in search of her sister.

"Katy?"

"I've got four kids to look after, Charlie, I don't have time at the moment." She said, rushing off to find Amy and Ruby before they got under Roxy's feet.

There was no way her aunt would want Amy to see her in the state she was no doubt getting herself into. Ronnie could calm her down and look after her and Katy would take the girls round to Lola's like they'd planned. Poking her head around Roxy's bedroom door, she saw that her aunt was in floods of tears, wrapped up in Ronnie's arms.

Quickly, Katy crossed to the bed and gave her a tight hug, pressing a kiss to her cheek and telling her that it would all be alright. Then she smiled at her mother and told her where she was going, earning herself a grateful smile and a nod.

Gathering up the children, she evaded their questions about what had been happening and why everyone had been shouting, talking instead about the sleepover they were going to have at Lola's house. It was a relief to the young woman when Billy opened his front door and ushered them inside with a bright smile and the promise of pizza.


	62. Chapter 62

It was also a strain living with the knowledge that Nick wasn't dead but was, in fact, living with his family in Dot's house. Katy hated being around him. He made comments and snide remarks about her and her family and she downright refused to let him anywhere near her children. Katy knew her vehement dislike of the man upset Dot, but there was nothing she could do about that. She wasn't even willing to leave the girls with her step-grandmother with Nick around.

As Christmas and Ronnie's wedding crept closer, the woman suggested that her sister threw her a baby shower instead of a hen party. As the bride-to-be pointed out, there wasn't really much she could get up to in her condition and they could make up for it after the baby was born. Roxy latched onto the idea, coming up with all sorts of themes and party game suggestions, although her sister gently suggested that she would much prefer a quiet family gathering where everyone could spend time together and properly get to know each other.

Having left her daughters with Carol and Whitney for the morning, Katy found herself being dragged into the café by her mother and aunt to discuss more arrangements for the wedding. As they stood at the counter, waiting to be served, conversation turned to the younger sister's ex-boyfriend.

"_So? When's Aleks going?_" Ronnie asked, sounding far too pleased at the prospect.

"_As soon as he finishes up on the market…_" Roxy told her with a sigh, fiddling with a tenner she'd fished out of her purse, "_finds a place for him and Ineta._" When she glanced sideways and spotted Ronnie and Katy both smiling, she scowled. "_Try not to look too devastated!_"

"_Look, Roxy, OK. He comes with… baggage, doesn't he?_" Her sister pointed out. "_So maybe it's better if–_"

"_Listen, we've gotta go_." Charlie interrupted, pulling on Ronnie's arm to get her to follow him.

She frowned. "_What, now?_"

"_Right now._"

The Mitchells exchanged a look, before all three shrugged and Ronnie left the café with her fiancé. Following Roxy over to a table at the back, Katy allowed herself to be immersed in wedding plans, wondering what had happened to cause Charlie to sound so panicked.

"… so I'm gonna ask Sharon if she can get a marriage licence so we can have the wedding at the Albert."

"What?" Katy wrinkled up her nose. "Mum can't get married in a bar."

"You heard what she said; she doesn't want anything fancy and she wants to get married round here. It makes sense. We can get it with a brilliant discount, if not totally free."

"Right, fine." The brunette agreed with a nod.

"What d'you reckon happened?" Roxy asked suddenly, leaning forward and lowering her voice. "Charlie sounded really worried."

Katy shrugged. "I dunno."

She evaded questions about what it could possibly be; suddenly guessing that it probably had something to do with Nick. Keeping the conversation focused on her mother's wedding, Katy tried to bring their little meeting to a close so that she could escape over to Dot's and find out what had happened. Roxy, though, seemed intent on keeping her niece with her so that she could help with the party set up.

By the time the living room was ready, the first guests had started to arrive. Katy didn't know any of them, although she suddenly recognised a couple and realised that they were women she recognised when she did the school run with Amy. Before she could ask Roxy whether anyone was coming that Ronnie actually liked, she saw her mother walking through the door.

"Wow!" Ronnie laughed. "You've worked hard."

"Yeah!" Her sister agreed. "Presents are over on the table, there's drinks in the kitchen and we've got some games coming up in a little while."

As the blonde got stuck in to opening her presents, Amy and Ruby more than happy to help, Katy mingled with the guests, topping up their drinks and pretending to be interested in their conversations. Finally she escaped over to where her mum and Roxy were at the other end of the room.

"_Look! We're not going to need nappies for a while, are we?_" Ronnie joked as Charlie and Katy joined them.

"_And explain this to me…_" Charlie picked something up from the present pile. "_I mean, this baby's not going to walk for, what, a year and he's getting shoes._"

"_They're cute._" Amy told him, almost exasperatedly.

Everyone laughed. "_Yeah… make the most of it._" Her mother advised. "_'Cos it doesn't last._"

The doorbell rang and Roxy moved past them to go and see who it was. Ronnie, Charlie and Katy leant against the cabinet, looking around at the guests with amusement.

"_I literally don't know anyone here._" The blonde told them with a grin. "_These are all Roxy's mates from the school run._"

"That's what I tried to tell her." Katy agreed with a laugh.

Charlie winked. "_That makes two of us, babe_."

As he walked off, Katy grasped her mother's forearm, holding her back. Glancing around carefully, she lowered her voice. "What happened this morning?"

"Don't worry about it, sweetie."

"Mum."

With a sigh, the blonde shrugged. "Phil knows about Nick. He's not best pleased, but he's agreed to let me handle it."

"Can you handle it?"

Ronnie looked offended. "Of course I can."

"So, what's going to happen?"

"I'll get rid of him. But, until then, he's going to be locked in his room. We can't risk him being seen again."

"Again?" Katy demanded. "How did Phil find out? What happened?"

Ronnie sighed deeply. "Yvonne decided to take him out for some air. Ian spotted them on the market."

"What? Is she mental?" The young woman demanded looking outraged.

"Yes." Ronnie agreed with another shrug. "But don't worry about it."

"How can I not?"

"Just… I'll sort it, OK?"

Unconvinced, her daughter was about to argue, but Ronnie walked away and settled herself on the sofa beside Charlie. She started a conversation with him and his mum, leaving her daughter to watch them suspiciously.

"Mummy!"

Broken out of her reverie by the sound of her daughter calling her, Katy painted a bright smile on her face and went to join Ruby and Amy on the carpet where they were drawing pictures. She tried to concentrate on the two little girls, before her attention was completely stolen by the arrival of someone she hadn't expected to see.

"_Hey… Aleks has a present for you._" Roxy announced.

"_Actually, that's Ineta._" He clarified. Katy narrowed her eyes knowing that her mother would never refuse to take a present off the little girl, while she would definitely have shunned one from him.

True to form, Ronnie smiled brightly at her. "_Umm… thank you. Thanks very much._" She took the present and pointed towards where Katy was. "_D'you want to go and get yourself a drink? There's one on the table._ Katy?"

"Hi, what would you like?" The brunette asked the little girl with a smile, completely ignoring Aleks who had followed her.

After sorting her out with a drink, Katy settled Ineta down with Amy and Ruby to do some drawing, while she headed across the room towards her mother and aunt. Seeing the expression on the young woman's face, Roxy held up her hands.

"Don't you start."

"I'm saying nothing." Katy told her with a shrug.

"That's a first…"

"Ha ha." She muttered sarcastically. "You can do what you want Rox."

"I will, don't worry." The blonde replied, frowning over at where Aleks was talking to the girls.


	63. Chapter 63

Katy had been irritated when her aunt had agreed to take Aleks back. After all the heartache that Roxy had been through, the younger Mitchell thought that she deserved someone who would do everything they could to make her happy; the same as Ronnie deserved. But she decided, after a long rant at Lauren about the situation, if it made Roxy happy then it was really none of her business.

A couple of days later, Lola persuaded Katy to accompany her to the Vic to see Santa. The brunette had sighed, but agreed that Ruby would probably love it. Not wanting to go, Roxy had persuaded her to take Amy too. Armed with the double buggy and both little girls, Katy had joined Lola and Phil, Lexi and Janet at the pub.

"It's Shirley!" Amy had announced loudly as soon as she set eyes on the woman in her elf costume.

"No, babe, it's an elf." Katy told her firmly. "Aunty Shirley isn't as friendly."

"Yeah, what she said." Shirley had grumbled, earning herself a frown form the young mother.

"Shirley!" Ruby burst out, holding her arms out to the elf.

"Amy!" Katy muttered, annoyed that her little cousin had pointed out who the elf was.

The small blonde just shrugged. "Can I have my present now?"

"_Are you having a laugh?_" Lola's irate voice cut through everyone and met Katy's ears. She sighed and turned to see what was happening now. "_It's meant to be Christmas._"

"_I asked her if she'd been a good little girl all year and she said no._"

"_So?_"

"_There you go._" Stan, easily recognisable in his Santa outfit, shrugged.

"_I want my money back, yeah?_" Phil ordered, getting bored of the situation.

"_Santa, you can't punish her for not lying._" The Johnny Elf muttered, obviously embarrassed by his grandfather's behaviour.

"I _can fly through the sky without wings or an engine. I can do what I like._" He argued. "_Piece of coal on Christmas Day. No present._"

"_Excuse me! Don't speak to my daughter like that!_" Lola ordered. "_We paid good money to come in here, you know._"

"Why Santa being mean?" Ruby asked, looking up at her mother with wide, innocent eyes.

Amy nudged her. "It's not Santa. It's Stan."

"Amy!" Katy exclaimed. "Right, we're going."

As they turned to leave with Phil and Lola, Dean handed Lexi a present and Johnny dispersed the crowd who were still waiting to see the bad-tempered Santa. Embarrassed by her cousin's, not out-of-character, behaviour, Katy frowned at Amy and shook her head. The six-year-old just shrugged in response, swinging Ruby's hand wildly.

"_Tell you what, if you were twenty years younger, Santa, I'd deck you._" Lola threatened.

"Lola!" Katy called, rolling her eyes. "Leave it."

They followed her, not without Phil attempting to have the last word. "If you advertise Santa, I expect to see Santa."

Shirley raised an eyebrow. "Do you, poppet?" She looked down at Janet and smiled. "Janet, take Uncle Phil home and tell him that he's got to wait for Christmas Eve like the other boys and girls."

"Know something? With them lugholes I can't take you seriously."

"Know something? With that slaphead you always were a joke." She countered.

Katy snorted with laughter and Phil chuckled. They left the pub quickly, pausing in the Gardens before separating. After a quick chat, Phil headed off to the Arches, while the two girls took the children over to the park. There was no point taking them straight home and they decided that they might as well try and wear them out a bit first.

"Looking forward to Ronnie's wedding?" Lola asked bouncing Lexi on her lap as they watched the older girls running around chasing each other.

"I guess."

"What about the baby?"

"What about it?"

"You looking forward to him being born?"

Katy shrugged. "Yeah."

"What's up?"

"Nothing." The older Mitchell told her quickly, leaning down to make sure the twins' blankets were tucked tightly around them.

"Yeah, OK."

"Seriously, it's nothing."

Lola sighed. "You can tell me, alright, K?"

"I just… I guess I'm a bit jealous." Katy admitted slowly. "I mean… Mum's got Charlie and the new baby now. They're a family. I'm twenty-two and I've got three kids of my own. It's not like I'm really going to fit in with their perfect little family, am I?"

"Shut up! Ronnie idolises you. You're her baby."

"But I'm not, am I? She's going to have another baby to take care of, with her husband. I'm just gonna be in the way."

"You don't honestly believe that, do you?" Lola asked, frowning. "You don't believe that Ronnie would just… abandon you… after everything that's happened?"

Katy sighed and shrugged. "No. I don't know. I just… she's gonna get to do all those things with the baby that we miss. She'll see his first steps and hear his first words. She'll get all of his birthdays and his first day at school. We never had that. I just… I'm jealous."

"I know." Lola squeezed her arm gently. "Me and Pops missed all that too. But… it's about the future, init, not the past. We've got this lot and your brother to concentrate on, now. The new generation of Mitchells."

Laughing softly, the brunette shook her head. "You make us sound like superheroes or something."

"We pretty much are." Her cousin joked. "Mitchells assemble. Let's face it, we're far scarier than the Avengers any day!"

"True." Katy agreed, feeling a lot better now that she'd got things off her chest.

She was about to request that Lola keep what she'd said to herself, when the teenager's mobile began to ring. Lola stared at it, apparently a little bemused, before answering it and clamping the handset to her ear with her shoulder.

"Pops?" She furrowed her eyebrows slightly. "Why?" There was a long pause and then she nodded. "OK, we're coming."

"What's up?"

"I dunno…" Lola shrugged. "Pops said that Pam and Les are at ours and they've got a surprise for us, so we've got to go home."

"Cool." Katy turned her attention to where Amy was trying to pick Ruby up. "We'd better get going too. Come on, girls!"

"Five minutes?" Amy attempted to bargain with her older cousin.

"No way, munchkin. It's freezing and the twins need a feed."

"Can we watch Frozen?"

"If you're good." Katy agreed, rolling her eyes at the thought of having to sit through the animated film for about the hundredth time. She had quite enjoyed it the first few times she'd seen it, before Amy and Ruby's obsession had kicked in.

Laughing at her exasperation, Lola waved goodbye and set off for home with Janet and Lexi, leaving the older Mitchell to herd her daughter and cousin in front of the pram in the direction of the Square.


	64. Chapter 64

Carol had offered to look after the twins on Friday morning so that Katy could do some Christmas shopping. The young mum, grateful for the chance to actually get to the shops without the children, had jumped at the chance and headed off on her own. She trailed around the shops for hours, searching out presents for her friends and family; she spent an hour alone looking for the Frozen dolls that Ruby, Amy, Lexi and Janet were desperate for.

By the time Katy returned to the Square, laden with shopping bags, she was shattered and in desperate need of a sit down. Setting her bags down heavily on the doorstep of her step-aunt's house, the brunette waited for someone to answer. After a couple of moments, the door opened and Lee looked at her.

"Alright? I've come to pick up the twins." She said, slightly confused as to why he was there considering Whitney was in Milton Keynes with Bianca and the kids.

"Sure." He glanced over his shoulder and then lowered his voice. "Lauren and Emma are here."

Katy frowned. "Why?"

"About Whit deleting the messages on Lucy's page."

"Oh…"

"Apparently it makes her look suspicious."

"But Whit only did that because–"

"Yeah, I know." Lee agreed before she could finish. "Come in and back me up, yeah?"

Nodding, the young woman slipped into the hallway and walked through to the living room. Lauren and Emma both looked up at her with bemusement, obviously wondering why she was there.

"Hey?"

"Carol was watching the twins for me." She explained, hearing Lee dumping her shopping bags in the hallway before joining them. "What are you doing here?"

"We came to… Whitney deleted all of the messages on Lucy Beale's social networking site." Emma explained.

Katy shrugged. "Yeah, I know."

Lauren turned on her quickly. "Wait… you knew too?"

"Yeah. Whit told me she'd done it. She didn't want anyone to see the messages Lucy sent her. They might not have got on, but Whit didn't want people to think badly of her after she'd died."

"I don't believe it. It… it can't be true. You didn't like Lucy, so you're obviously just protecting Whitney." Lauren accused Katy with a scowl.

"You calling me a liar?" Katy demanded. She shook her head. "You know what Lucy was like… how mean she could be. She was really horrible to Whit… she was horrible to me too, but I couldn't give a shit what she thought. It got to Whit, but she couldn't say anything to you because Lucy was your best mate and you wouldn't have listened."

"You know what I don't have to listen to?" Lauren asked, scowling around the room. "You lot."

Glaring at them, she stamped dramatically out of the room with Emma following behind. They heard the front door slam before they looked at each other.

"She's just upset." Katy reasoned. "She'll calm down and apologise. I know her."

"Whatever." Lee shrugged and crossed to the window, pulling the curtains aside and looking out across the Square. "_D'you reckon she's back at work?_"

"_I dunno._" Fat Boy answered with a shrug, staring at his hands. Then he glanced up. "_Listen… you know you said Whitney wasn't the one with something to hide? What did you mean?_"

The older boy sent a quick glance in Katy's direction, before moving to sit beside his friend on the sofa. "_Get your phone out a minute. Pull up that video from Good Friday. The one at Roxy's party._"

"What video?" Katy asked, looking between them.

"Wait a sec…" Fat Boy fumbled with his phone, looking for the video. "Here."

He pressed play and they watched Fat Boy and Jay larking around on the screen, with the older boy doing an impression of his friend and Jay getting mildly irritated by the whole thing. When it reached the end, Katy frowned and looked between the boys. Wordlessly, Lee leant over and pressed the button to play it again.

"_I don't get it… why are we watching this again?_"

"_Rewind it a bit._" Lee ordered. "_There._" They all leant in to look at the screen. "_Lauren's outside Lucy's house. She said that she went straight home after the party that night, so why is she there?_" He looked between the other two. "_I think Little Miss Perfect's the one that's hiding something, don't you?_"

"No way." Katy shook her head. "Lauren ain't a killer no more than Whitney is."

"So why did she lie?" Lee demanded.

"I lied!" She reminded him fiercely. "Are you gonna say I killed her, next?"

"You lied because you were screwing Max."

"Charming."

"True though, init." Lee pointed out. "So, does Lauren have a reason for lying about where she was?"

"Have you asked? Maybe that would be a good idea."

Letting out a disgruntled sigh, Lee shrugged and stood up. "Just… don't say anything, yeah?"

"What are you gonna do?" She demanded.

"Nothing at the moment." He promised.

"You better not." Katy warned him. "At least have the decency to speak to Lauren about it first. Whatever's happened, we're all mates. Don't even think about doing something stupid, Lee."

With his promises that he wouldn't do anything ringing in her ears, Katy made her way upstairs to Carol's bedroom. Her step-aunt was siting on her bed, flicking through a magazine when the young woman knocked softly on the door, calling her inside and pointing to where the twins were both fast asleep on the duvet beside her.

"Thanks for watching them." The brunette said as they each scooped one of the three-month-olds into their arms and headed for the stairs.

"Pleasure, darling." Carol replied, looking down into the face of the sleeping baby. "It's lovely having babies around again."

"You're welcome to borrow them anytime you want." Katy told her with a grin and she loaded Jessica carefully into the pram.

Carol settled Sophie in beside her sister. "I might take you up on it."

"You'll regret saying that."

With a chuckle, Carol helped Katy load the pram up with her shopping bags and leant against the door frame as the young woman set off towards her own house.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: You may be wondering about the frequent updates lately? I usually have more time at the weekend to update, because I'm not in work, and I feel bad about keeping you hanging on. That meant that I kinda went a bit overboard and updated three times this weekend! _**

**_That won't be the case every weekend, I'm afraid, but I am doing my best to write and update when I can!_**

**_Hope you're enjoying anyway and thanks for reading and reviewing! :)_**

**_x_**


	65. Chapter 65

"So… are we going to see you at all tomorrow?" Roxy demanded on Christmas Eve, sounding very much as though she was resisting the urge to complain.

Katy shrugged, even though the blonde couldn't see her and swapped her mobile to rest between her other ear and shoulder so that she could concentrate on painting the nails on the opposite hand. "Me and the girls will see you in the morning. We're having lunch with Charlie's family, but I don't see why we can't come and see you properly afterwards. Hopefully Dot will watch the kids so we can go to the pub and see everyone else, anyway."

"It's not going to be the same!" Roxy gave in to her urge to whine. "We always spend Christmas together. When Ronnie was inside we're all we had. Just because she's getting married shouldn't mean that I'm forced to spend Christmas with Bimbo Barbie with no backup!"

"I can ask Dot if there's enough for you and Amy?"

There was a long sigh from the other end of the phone. "No… no. Don't bother." Roxy dismissed the idea, much to her niece's relief. She hadn't been looking forward to the arguments that would accompany her request; there was no way they'd be able to hide Nick's presence if Roxy and Amy turned up for Christmas Dinner. "I don't want to spend Christmas Day with that lot… no offence."

"None taken." Katy assured her.

"Amy and me will just hang out with Phil and the others until you're free to spend time with us."

"Hey! Don't get mad at me. It wasn't my idea."

"No, I know, babe." Her aunt agreed quickly. "This has Ronnie written all over it. She finds a new bloke and everything's about him."

Katy frowned. "It's not like that."

"Really?"

"Mum just wants to… they are getting married in like a week, ain't they?" The younger Mitchell pointed out. "It's reasonable that they want to spend Christmas together. It would be a bit weird if they didn't."

"I guess…" Roxy sighed. "So… you excited about the wedding? Being a bridesmaid and all that?"

Katy made a dismissive sound in her throat. "Are you?"

"I'm just worried she's rushed into this… I mean… she might be having his baby, but does she really know him?"

"Apparently he loves her and that's enough." Katy said, agreeing with Roxy's concerns. She'd attempted to voice them to her mother several times, but Ronnie had either been too busy to listen properly, or simply hadn't wanted to. "I really, really don't want this to go wrong. I don't know if… well." She put the lid back on the bottle of nail vanish and bit her lip, trying to articulate her thoughts properly. "I don't know how mum would react if this whole thing with Charlie went tits up."

"You think she'd have another… melt down?"

"I really don't know. But she deserves some happiness, don't you think? After everything… I just really want this to work out for her."

There was a silence while both Mitchells pondered the whole situation. They both worried that Ronnie had rushed into things without thinking them through properly. It was true that Charlie genuinely seemed to care about her, love her even, but was that really enough when they hadn't even known each other a year?

"You still want her to get back together with Jack, don't you?" Roxy asked after a couple of moments.

Katy sighed. "I know it's not going to happen. I'm not a kid. But… he's the closest thing I've got to a dad and… they were so happy. I really thought he was going to be her happily ever after, you know?"

Roxy laughed softly. "Katy Mitchell… since when did you get all romantic?"

"Shut up, Rox."

"Seriously, though… do you think Charlie's right for her?" The blonde asked, suddenly sobering.

"I hope so."

"Me too."

"Put it this way… if he hurts her, he won't know what's hit him."

"As long as it's not an axel stand…"

Katy blinked a couple of times in disbelief. "Roxanne Mitchell? Did you just make a joke about–"

"What if I did." Roxy answered cheekily. "What are you gonna do about it? Kill me?"

"Quit it, Rox." The younger woman ordered, suddenly edgy. "The last thing we need now is all that being dragged up again."

"Yeah… sorry."

Katy was about to reply when the sound of wailing reached her ears and she sighed deeply. "Sorry, I've got to go. One of the twins is awake."

"You coming to the carol concert thing later?"

"Yeah, hopefully."

"I'll see you there, then." Roxy said, almost making it sound like an order.

Then the line went dead. Katy sighed, placing her mobile on the coffee table and standing up to go and check on her daughters.

x-x

Christmas morning started bright and early, thanks to Amy and Ruby's excited shouts that Santa had been to visit them. Ronnie, who had stayed at Dot's with Charlie the night before, missed out on the almost pre-dawn wake up call from the two small girls, but her daughter and sister weren't as lucky. Ruby had run into her mother's bedroom and launched herself straight onto the sleeping woman's stomach, causing her to almost scream obscenities as she was ripped away from her dream. From the noise that erupted from Roxy's bedroom, Katy guessed that she'd been treated to the same rude awakening.

"Santa camed, Mummy!" Ruby shouted in excitement, pointing to the stocking she had dragged from her own bedroom and abandoned in the doorway when she launched her attack. "He camed and bringed me presents!"

"He came and brought you presents." Katy tried, sleepily, to correct her.

"Yeah, he did!"

"You must have been a good girl, then. Take them into Aunty Roxy's bedroom and I'll be in now with the twins, OK?"

Ruby didn't need telling twice. In seconds she had dismounted the bed and rushed out of the room, pausing only to grab the top of her stocking. The volume from along the corridor increased and Katy could hear the girls chattering excitedly to each other.

Not bothering to suppress her yawn now that the three-year-old had gone, Katy scooped Jessica and Sophie out of their cots with practiced ease and followed Ruby's route towards Roxy's bedroom. Amy moved out of the way to allow her cousin to settle on the bed beside her mother, handing Jessica over to Roxy.

"Go on, then." Roxy ordered once they were comfortable. "Let's see what the big man brought you both."

Paper flew haphazardly around the room as Amy and Ruby dived into their stockings, ripping the wrappings off and squealing with delight as they uncovered their gifts. The whole event took longer than either woman expected, as the girls decided that they needed to show, and explain, each individual gift to the twins. Then Amy remembered that they'd hung stockings on Jessica and Sophie's cots the night before and skipped off to see whether Santa had brought them anything. She screamed happily when she realised he had and the whole exercise started over again.

Finally Roxy and Katy persuaded their daughters to get washed and dressed so that they could head to their next destinations; the blonde and her daughter over to Phil's and the brunette and her children over to Dot's. Promising that she would do her best to persuade Ronnie to head over to Number 55 as soon possible, Katy pressed a kiss to her aunt's cheek, before directing her pram in the direction of the house where they would be spending the majority of their day.


	66. Chapter 66

Christmas dinner was less stressful than expected. Katy and her girls had arrived while Dot and Charlie were at Church and Ronnie and Yvonne had dragged the young woman into helping prepare the vegetables for dinner. Ruby was quite happy playing with her new toys in the living room and the twins had fallen asleep in their bouncy chairs. Katy wasn't happy about Nick being left alone with her children, but she knew that he wouldn't harm them in any way and she didn't really have much choice.

"_Is that you, Ma?_" He called as the front door opened and closed.

"_Yes, it's me._" Dot replied as all three women in the kitchen turned in the direction of the voice. "Oh, you've had a shave."

"_Seemed only right, seeing as it's the Lord's Day."_

"_How was church?_" Ronnie asked, joining them in the hallway.

"_Ah, the Reverend Mr Stevens, he gave a crib service for the little ones._" Dot said taking off her coat and beaming as Ruby pushed past Ronnie's legs to see the older woman. "You should have brought the girls, Katy."

"Grandma Dot!" Ruby pulled on her hand, trying to drag her into the living room. "See what Santa bringed me."

As they disappeared from sight, Charlie turned his attention to the kitchen. "_You need a hand, Mum?_"

"_Oh, no, you take the weight off. I've got everything under control here._ Besides, Katy's helping, aren't you?"

The young woman made a disgruntled noise but didn't dispute it. Ronnie winked at her.

"_I say, did you remember to baste the turkey?_" Dot called from the living room.

"_Yes, yes I did._"

"_Ta._"

Yvonne ushered Katy back into the kitchen, pushing the door to and allowing Ronnie and Charlie a couple of minutes of privacy. Katy followed her future step-grandmother's orders without complaint, watching the vegetables carefully as Yvonne set them to boil on the hob.

"Hey, you two coming in with us?" Ronnie asked, poking her head around the kitchen door a couple of minutes later. "Dot's started on the sherry and Ruby wants to watch Frozen… again."

Katy laughed a glanced at Yvonne who nodded. "You go. I'll be in in a minute."

"Thanks."

"_Oh, look, there's your granddad. Look._" Dot was saying as the Mitchells walked into the room.

"_That's Charlie, Charlie._" Nick agreed with a grin, pointing at a photo in the album that was resting on his mother's lap.

"_Oh, hello, Ronnie_… Katy." The old woman smiled, looking up at the two women. "_We was just having a look at some old photographs._"

"_That's nice._"

"_That was the year you bought me an action man, remember?_"

"_No, it weren't me. It was Ethel. I didn't approve of violent games._"

"_It's such a shame we ain't got any pictures of the four of us."_ Charlie pointed out.

His grandmother nodded. "_Yes…_"

"_Especially as this is the last one we're going to be spending together._"

"_Well why don't I take one for you, hmm?_" Ronnie suggested. "_You can take it away as a little memento, can't you?_"

"_Right… the dinner shouldn't be too long. I've just put the sprouts on._" Yvonne announced, appearing in the room.

"_I hate sprouts._" Charlie and Nick chorused before looking at each other.

"_What did I tell you, Ronnie. As alike as two peas in a pod._" Dot announced, much to the blonde Mitchell's distaste.

"_Right, come on. We're having a picture._" Charlie told his mother.

As Ronnie struggled to get out of her chair, Katy stepped forward. "I'll do it, Mum. Rubes, come over here with Grandma."

Once the picture was taken, Yvonne roped Katy into setting the table. Without complaining she did as she was told, laying the cutlery and plates out and helping to dish up the vegetables. When they were called, everyone piled into the dining room eagerly. Even Nick seemed to have been filled with Christmas spirit and was being reasonably pleasant. He even consented to let Ruby place his cracker hat on his head without complaint.

x-x

Leaning against the bar later that afternoon, waiting to attract Lee's attention so that she could order their drinks, Katy was well aware that someone was staring at her; their eyes boring into the side of her head. She refused to turn and see who was watching her, however. After a couple of moments, she sensed someone sliding into her personal space and leaning against the bar beside her.

"Happy Christmas."

"Yeah, you too." She replied, sending Max a fleeting smile before returning her attention to the optics on the wall in front of her.

"You having a good day? And the girls?"

Katy nodded, not particularly keen on getting into a conversation with him. She could almost see the scowl that would no doubt be painted on her step-uncle's face at the sight of Max's proximity to her and she didn't want to give Phil any excuses to start some kind of riot.

"It's been great… very quiet." She agreed after a moment. "How was it round at the Beales'?"

Max chuckled. "Don't tell him, but it was alright. I didn't want to go, but I've got to admit the food and company was good."

Finally attracting Lee's attention, she smiled. "Right, well, I'll see you later. Maybe."

"I hope so."

Turning away, the young woman placed their drinks order and waited for Lee to line up the glasses on the bar in front of her. She smiled and handed over the fifty Phil had given her to pay for their drinks. Raising an eyebrow at the size of the note, Lee made a joke about swapping Whitney for her if that was what was in her purse, before winking and rounding the bar to help her carry them back to the table.

"What did he want?" Phil demanded the second that they were alone, nodding his head towards where Max was talking to Nancy.

"Nothing!" Katy sighed with well-practiced exasperation. "He was just asking whether we were having a good Christmas, that's all."

"That better be all he was doing."

She rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her vodka coke. "What are you? My pimp?"

"Phil's just looking out for you, Katy." Sharon butted in, attempting to lay a soothing hand on her arm.

The young Mitchell arched an eyebrow at her. "I don't need Phil looking out for me, thanks. I'm capable of looking out for myself."

He snorted in disbelieving amusement. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"You're just a kid, Katy." Phil told her dismissively. "You have no idea."

Irritated by his superior attitude, Katy drained the liquid from her glass and stood up, grabbing her jacket. "Fine. If I'm just a kid I'm obviously not wanted here. I'm going home."

"Katy!" Ronnie started, reaching out to grab hold of her daughter.

"Let her go." Phil said with a shrug. "She can throw her toys out of her pram if she wants."

Glaring at him, the brunette flounced out of the pub, slamming the door behind her. She scowled at the ground before dropping down to sit on the bench beside the entrance. It had been an overreaction, she was well aware of that fact, but she hated that Phil still treated her like a child, even after everything she'd done and been through.

"You alright?"

"You stalking me?" She retorted, glancing up and seeing Max looking down at her with concern.

"I was just on my way home to look for something." He shrugged and glanced towards his house. "Fancy a cuppa?"

Katy sighed and hesitated. Then she climbed to her feet and nodded. They didn't speak as Max lead the way through the Gardens and up the steps to his front door, unlocking it and standing back to allow her to walk inside first.


	67. Chapter 67

"So, how was lunch with Dot's family?" Max asked, setting a mug in front of Katy at the dining table.

She shrugged. "It was OK. I avoided the washing up and went round to see Rox and Amy. I left them playing 'Who am I?'… that was my limit."

He chuckled. "I know the feeling. Christmas with Ian Beale was almost enough to push me over the edge."

"So what did you come to pick up?" When Max didn't answer, she shrugged. "You don't have to tell me. I was just wondering what you needed at the Vic…"

Standing up, he moved over to the sofa and picked up a laptop. Putting it on the table between them, Max pressed the power button and they waited for it to kick into life. Katy watched in confusion as he searched through the files. She wanted to ask what he was looking for, but he was so concentrated on looking for something that she just waited.

"Ah!"

Opening a video file, Max leant forwards and watched it carefully. Katy went cold, realising what it was. She chewed her lip, re-watching the clip that seemed etched into her memory.

When it had finished, she glanced at Max quickly, gaging his reaction. He met her eyes, searching her face for any hints as to what she was thinking.

"You're not surprised."

She shrugged. "Lauren's not a killer."

"You've seen it before?"

"There'll be an explanation." Katy told him firmly, ignoring the question. "There'll be a reason she lied."

They sat in silence for a long time. Max was staring at the image of Lauren on the screen, apparently trying to make sense of it. Katy started to feel awkward and, after about twenty minutes she stood up to leave. As she grabbed her jacket from the back of the chair, Max's hand shot out and closed around her wrist, holding her back.

"Don't go."

Katy bit her lip, leaning forward and kissing him softly. He raised his hands and cupped her face, kissing her back, before standing up and pulling her towards the stairs by the hand.

x-x

"Where did you disappear off to?" Ronnie asked when she saw Katy the next morning. "Dot said you didn't collect the girls until about seven."

Katy shrugged. "I needed to clear my head."

"Guess what?"

"What?"

"Nick's not going." Ronnie told her, scowling. "Ian gave me the money yesterday after you went to see Roxy. Charlie was supposed to be taking him to the ferry, but he didn't."

Her daughter's mouth dropped open. "What? You're kidding?"

They both stopped talking abruptly as the front door opened. "_Oh! It's freezing out there on that car lot._"

"_Why don't you wear a pair of my tights?_" Ronnie suggested as her fiancé poked his head into the living room and smiled at them both. "_That's what the stallholders do when it's this cold outside._"

"_What, wear your tights?_"

"_Yeah_."

"They pass them round." Katy added with a shrug. "One pair fits all."

"_What is that racket?_" Charlie asked, peering up the stairs.

Ronnie laughed softly. "_It's Roxy trying to find us a wedding song._"

"It's fantastic when you're trying to get twins to sleep." Katy informed him, pulling a face. As if to illustrate her point, both girls started grizzling in their bouncy chairs where their mother had settled them. "I'm gonna lose it in a minute."

"_Maybe she should pick father and son._"

Charlie sighed and glanced meaningfully at Katy, who just shrugged and settled herself more firmly in her seat. "_I knew you were angry at me._"

"_It was a joke._"

"_I had to let my dad stay._" He tried to explain. "_I can't just go and break Mum and Grandma's hearts, can I?_"

"_Charlie…_"

"_It's just 'til the wedding._"

"_And what about afterwards?_"

"_And then he'll be gone, I promise you. He said he will._"

Katy arched an eyebrow. "And you believe him."

"Katy." Ronnie sent her a warning look. But then she sent Charlie a hard look. "_Maybe he can come to the Christening._"

"_Don't be like that…_"

"_The baby's first day at school?_"

"_Ron…_"

"_Maybe he could even come to sports day? Except he'd have to wear a disguise._"

Charlie sighed. "_You said you weren't angry with me._"

"_Surely you can see what he's doing? He's got to Dot… he's got to your mum. He has got them doing exactly what he wants._" Ronnie pointed out angrily.

"_That is my dad that you're talking about._"

"_And he's got to you…_"

"_You don't know the real him._"

Katy snorted. "Of course we don't. Because he's changed, hasn't he? He's really a great, big softy underneath the big man act, is he?"

"_You're not around there seeing how happy everyone is._" Charlie told her.

"_Happy?_" Ronnie exclaimed in disbelief. "_Charlie, open your eyes!_"

"_He's staying, alright, for as long as he can. It's got nothing to do with you._"

As Charlie stormed out, Katy looked at her mother, trying to read what was going on in her mind. She tilted her own head to one side, narrowing her eyes as she attempted to work out what Ronnie was thinking.

"You're not just gonna leave it at that, are you?"

Ronnie turned to look at her slowly. "Of course not."

"So?"

"Don't you worry about it, sweetheart."

Katy arched an eyebrow. "Really?"

"You've got enough to think about with the girls. Leave this to me."

"Mum…"

"I'll sort it." Ronnie told her firmly, repeating words she'd said to her daughter numerous times in the past.

Unconvinced, the brunette watched as her mother stood up, sent her a fleeting smile and left the room. From upstairs she could hear Tainted Love playing and sighed deeply, wondering whether Roxy was listening to a scarily appropriate wedding song for her mother and Charlie.

The situation with Nick was on her mind all day as she went about the things she needed to do. Roxy dragged her out to look at bridesmaid's dresses that afternoon, taking all four girls with them. Amy kicked up a fuss, demanding a new dress as well and, by the time they went home, they all had new outfits to wear for the wedding.

Katy had consented to wear a floral dress because Roxy had agreed to let her wear blue and she had to admit that she actually quite liked it. Amy and Ruby had floaty pale pink dresses and Jessica and Sophie had yellow ones. It was a relief to both women that they had managed to find something, allowing them to cross something big off their 'to do' list for the wedding.

"Katy?"

"What's up?" The brunette asked, clamping her mobile to her ear and reaching for the remote to scroll through the channels at the same time. "You OK?"

"Not really…"

Frowning, Katy focused her full attention on the call. "Mum?"

"Nick wants more money. Phil won't help and I… I found something out."

"What?"

"You know Roxy's money from dad that went missing? Well Phil's got it. He had it all along. He stole it, Katy."

"No way? What the fuck?" Katy muttered. "So much for him being all about family."

"We've got to get that money." Ronnie told her. "We can use it to get rid of Nick once and for all."

"Won't he just ask for more, like he did this time?"

Ronnie laughed mirthlessly. "He'll regret it if he does."


	68. Chapter 68

"What's the plan, then?" Katy asked in a low voice, leaning against the banisters.

Ronnie glanced over her shoulder. "When Phil gets here I'll make some excuse to leave. I'll take his keys and I'll empty the safe. You make sure he stays here, OK?"

"Why don't I go and crack the safe… I'm not seven months pregnant."

"No, I'll do it." Her mother said determinedly. "You just keep him here without raising his suspicions, right?"

Katy sighed and nodded, glancing down at her mobile as it started ringing in her hand. Reading the name on the display, she looked quickly at her mother before jogging up the stairs and shutting herself in her bedroom to answer it.

"Max?"

"Alright babe… listen, Emma's been asking me about my affair with Lucy." He told her in a hushed voice. "She's still digging around on the case…"

"What's that got to do with me?"

"I wanted to give you a head's up in case she comes to talk to you."

"Why would she?"

"I dunno. I just didn't want her to ambush you or anything." He told her, sounding exasperated.

"I'm not gonna tell her about Christmas Day, don't worry." Katy assured him. "If that gets out… well, it would be bad for both of us."

"I wasn't worried."

The young woman ran a hand through her hair. "Why was she asking about your affair?"

"I dunno… it was weird. She just… asked. I thought she was going to ask about you but she didn't."

"I'm not dead." Katy pointed out. "I'm not interesting."

"Oi. Don't."

"Sorry…" She sighed. "I've gotta go…"

"Bye."

Tapping her mobile against her lips, Katy shook her head. Pushing it into her back pocket, the young women left her bedroom and went downstairs. Thankfully, Ronnie was deep in conversation with Roxy and didn't ask who she'd been speaking to.

"… _unless they think it's a big surprise, they're not gonna bother showing up._" The older sister was saying as her daughter walked into the room. "_That'll be Charlie, can you get that for me?_"

Roxy rolled her eyes at Katy, slipping past her to answer the doorbell. Katy dropped onto the sofa, watching her mother rounding the table and fiddling about with the place settings.

"_Right. You sure you want to go to all this trouble so close to the wedding?_" Charlie asked as soon as he walked into the room.

"_Oh, so he's allowed to know this is all your idea but no one else is._" Roxy said irritably, perching on the arm of the sofa beside Katy.

"_Ignore her. She doesn't know it's a bad idea to stress out a pregnant lady."_

Roxy laughed and swatted at her niece as the doorbell rang again. "Your turn."

Katy sighed and heaved herself to her feet, going to see who had arrived first. She smiled at Yvonne, Ben and Jay who were crowded onto the doorstep, before arching an eyebrow.

"You lot been hanging out together?"

Yvonne sighed and pushed her way into the house. "Don't be ridiculous."

"As if." Ben laughed, shoving Katy gently in the shoulder.

"_We didn't come together._" Charlie's mother announced as she walked into the living room. "_I just ran into these two on the doorstep._"

"_Just in case anyone thought you were being friendly._" Ben said, rolling his eyes and striding past her.

"_So, where's Dot?_" Ronnie asked after giving Jay a hug and a kiss, completely ignoring her future mother-in-law and younger cousin's words.

"_Jim's nursing home called. They forgot to tell her about some early New Year's Eve party or some such. Anyway, she went dashing off, sends her apologies._"

"_What about Phil and Sharon?_"

"_Oh, Sharon's had to go to… Watford… to run an errand. Phil said they might pop in if she's back in time._" Jay informed them with a shrug.

Ronnie glanced at her daughter quickly. "_Might?_"

"_No great loss if you ask me._" Yvonne chipped in.

"No one did." Katy muttered under her breath, earning herself a sharp look from her mother.

"_A glass of wine might help this medicine go down, Charlie._" The Irish woman said.

"Course it will."

"Katy!" Ronnie chastised her quickly. "Go and check on the dinner."

Irritably, the young woman did as she was told, escaping into the kitchen to check the oven. Her mother followed her in a couple of minutes later and told her to lay off the comments. Rolling her eyes, Katy just sighed and helped her to plate up the meals, carrying them through into the dining room and settling herself in her seat.

"_So, you dug out all the finery for the wedding, then, Rox?_" Jay asked, trying to break the silence that had descended over them as they ate.

"_Oh, well, you know me. I'm not one to steal the limelight._" She joked.

The smile dropped from her face as Yvonne snorted, almost spraying her wine everywhere. Sensing the tension, Ronnie cleared her throat.

"_D'you think we should give Phil a call? I mean, he's not gonna wanna be stuck in the house on his own, is he?_"

"Eh?" Katy pulled a face, wishing that she could tell her mother to cool it before someone picked up on her strange behaviour.

"_Have you met Dad?_" Ben asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"_Hello?_"

"_Hi!_" Ronnie stood up at the sound of Phil and Sharon arriving at long last.

"_Door was on the latch, I hope you don't mind._"

"_I'm so glad you could make it._" Ronnie told her, giving the older woman a hug. Roxy and Katy exchanged a vaguely amused look at the action.

"_We can't stay long._"

"_So, can I take your coat?_"

"_I didn't know she was a hugger._" Aleks muttered.

Katy smirked and Roxy shrugged. "_Well it must be the hormones._"

Ronnie smiled around, meeting her daughter's eyes, before leaving the room and closing the door behind her. Katy immediately drew Phil and Sharon into conversation while Roxy went to get them some food, asking them what they'd been doing that morning and why Sharon had gone to Watford. Although she evaded the question, she kept talking long after Ronnie returned to the room, nodding sharply at Katy and taking her seat once more.

"_You don't fancy coming round ours and training Phil, do you?_" Sharon asked Roxy as Aleks began collecting up the dishes.

"_He's not trained_." Roxy informed her. "_He's on a short leash. For the moment._"

"_I just wanna say something…_" Ronnie cut across her, tapping her glass with a knife to attract everyone's attention. "_Roxy, thank you very much for organising all of this and all of you, thank you for coming. I know I'm gonna be keeping the Mitchell name, but this little one… it's actually gonna be called Mitchell-Cotton, which means you're all going to get to spend a lot more time with each other._" She grinned, especially when she spotted Yvonne's outraged expression. "_Anyone for dessert? D'you want dessert?_"

"_Mitchell-Cotton?_" She exploded as soon as Ronnie had left the room.

"_Bet you never thought your grandchild would have a double-barrelled name, eh?_" Ben said with a smirk.

"_It won't do. She'll have to be told. And no keeping her own name, either!_"

"_I wouldn't advise trying to 'tell' Ronnie anything, Mum._"

Katy frowned. "That baby ain't her only kid, Yvonne." She reminded her. "I'm her daughter and I'm a Mitchell. If she changes her name then–"

"Yes, well. They're a proper family, aren't they; Charlie, Ronnie and the baby? They should all have the same last name. It's only right."

"Oh, and I'm not part of that? Is that what you're saying?" Katy snapped.

"Well…"

Not waiting to hear anything else, she pushed her chair back from the table so violently it toppled over and stormed out of the room. She only paused long enough to grab her jacket from the hooks on the wall before yanking open the front door and slamming it behind her.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Double update day! Enjoy! :)**_


	69. Chapter 69

She was halfway through the Gardens when she heard her mother calling her name. Katy didn't stop, knowing that Ronnie would be stressed out by her behaviour. She couldn't help it, though. Yvonne had tapped into her biggest fear about Ronnie getting married and having a baby. She was terrified that suddenly her mother wouldn't want her anymore.

"Katy, wait!"

Hearing the strain in her voice, the younger woman paused. She didn't turn, but she stopped and allowed Ronnie to catch up with her. Placing her hands on Katy's upper arms, the blonde turned her on the spot and looked into her eyes. Wiping the tears off her daughter's cheeks with her thumbs, Ronnie sighed.

"Sweetheart…"

"I'm sorry."

"Hey!" Ronnie shook her head fiercely. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Listen to me. You are my daughter. I love you. Nothing on this earth will ever change that. Whatever Yvonne said, you will always, always be a massive part of whatever family I'm a part of. You're my little girl… my baby."

"I know it's stupid, I just…"

"Look… the main reason I'm keeping my surname is because I want that link to you. I am so proud of you, Katy. This one," she rubbed her stomach, "is the luckiest baby in the world because he's got you as a big sister."

"I love you."

Ronnie smiled. "I love you too."

"I'm sorry I ran out… I ruined the plan."

Shaking her head, her mother linked their arms and started walking. "No you haven't. You've given me an excuse to leave. Come on."

Together they went to Phil's house, letting themselves in through the back door and heading straight for the safe. Ronnie lifted the painting off the wall to reveal it, while Katy hovered by the door, keeping watch.

Entering the combination she remembered, Ronnie scowled as it was rejected. Thinking hard for a moment, she tried again. This time it beeped to say the numbers had been accepted and she wrenched the door open hurriedly, smiling at the sight of the money piled inside. Sweeping it all into a bag, she closed the safe and replaced the painting.

"Come on." She whispered. "Let's get back."

They crossed the Square again and Ronnie let them into the house. She put a finger to her lips, going to the stairs and hiding the holdall of money underneath it. Then she nodded and held out her hand, taking Katy's in hers and squeezing it tightly.

"_Hey!_" She called, opening the living room door.

"You alright, babe?" Roxy asked her niece, standing up and moving towards her.

"Fine." Katy replied with a nod.

"We went to the Minute Mart. _They've run out_." Ronnie lied with a shrug. "_Rox, let me borrow your car and I'll go down the supermarket._"

"_Ronnie, we've got loads of ice cream in the freezer._" Sharon offered.

"_No, you're alright. I won't take long._" She shrugged it off. "You coming, baby?"

Katy nodded quickly. "Yeah."

Ronnie smiled around. "_We'll see you in a sec, yeah?_"

They left quickly, not getting into Roxy's car, but making their way on foot towards Dot's house. Ronnie led the way, unlocking the front door and letting them inside. She poked her head around the living room door, tutting at the sight of Nick, sitting on the sofa watching TV with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

"_Not locked in upstairs… I should have known._"

"_You must be desperate to see the back of me. What is it about me that you hate so much?_" He glanced at Katy. "What's this? Backup?"

They both ignored him. Ronnie unzipped the holdall, showing him what was inside. "_So you can see the money. You know I've got it._"

"_It's Charlie, ain't it? You've seen how he looks at me. _It's the same way your daughter looks at you."

Katy stiffened, but Ronnie glared at him. "_You never met my dad, did you, Nick? I mean, trust me when I say he really wasn't to be messed with. And I think I'm quite like him. Don't make me do something._"

Nick exhaled deeply. "_Alright. Where will I get the money?_"

"_Under the bridge next to the gym._" Ronnie told him, ushering Katy out in front of her. "_You'd better get packing._"

Katy bit her lip, wondering whether to ask the question that was one her mind as they walked home. Ronnie glanced at her several times, knowing that there was something her daughter wanted to ask, but not wanting to push her. Instead she waited for Katy to bring it up.

"Did you really mean… do you really think you're like Archie?" The younger woman asked finally.

"Yeah, I do." She replied, looking sideways at Katy. "I think we both are. Very much so."

"But… that's a bad thing, right? You never wanted to be like him?"

"I've changed my mind. I think… I hope… we missed out on his worst qualities. But… his determination, his strength, his intelligence, his cunning… I think we've got that." Ronnie said quietly. "He wasn't someone you messed with, Katy. Neither are we."

"What about Nick?" Katy asked as they reached the bottom of the steps of their home. "D'you think he'll try and mess with us?"

Ronnie fixed her with a steely gaze. "If he does, he'll be sorry."

Nodding, the brunette followed her mother up the stairs. Quietly Ronnie unlocked the front door and they went inside. Katy waited while Ronnie got the apple pie out and then hid the bag under the stairs. She nodded and her daughter opened the living room door and walked in, expecting to see lots of faces looking at her. Instead she saw Roxy and Charlie clearing up, while Yvonne sipped from her glass.

"_Right, who's for apple pie, everyone._" Ronnie called, following her in. "_Oh…_"

"_You just missed everybody. They had to get back._" Yvonne slurred.

"_I think the sugar rush was a little bit too long in coming, babe._"

"_Ron, have you seen Phil's keys? He lost them before he left._"

"Oh_, yeah. Yeah, they'd fallen out onto the stairs. They must have come out of his pocket._" She explained, fishing them out of her own pocket and holding them out. Catching Roxy's meaningful nod towards Yvonne, she grinned. "_Shall I walk you home, Yvonne?_"

"_You can drink as much as you want on Thursday._" Roxy told her. "_It's going to be a wedding to remember._"

"I'll drop Phil's keys off." Katy offered, holding out her hand for them.

Ronnie nodded and they waited for Charlie's mother to gather her things, before they left the house together. While the blonde walked her future mother-in-law home, her daughter rushed round to Phil's and gave him back his keys. She shrugged as he asked where they'd been, telling him that she'd found them on the floor.

By the time she got away, her mother was waiting for her on the corner. They made their way to the place Ronnie had said she'd hand over the money, keeping their heads down and staying in the shadows as much as possible.

No words were exchanged, only the money. Nick nodded at them, before Ronnie pushed away from the wall and wrapped an arm around her daughter. They didn't look back as they headed away quickly, both hoping that Nick would keep to his end of the bargain and they wouldn't be forced to do anything drastic.


	70. Chapter 70

Katy woke up early on New Year's Day, wondering why she had a strange feeling in her chest. It took her a couple of moments to realise that although it was the morning after New Year's Eve she wasn't the tiniest bit hungover which, in itself, was strange. Then she remembered the reason for her sobriety the night before. It was the day of her mother's wedding to Charlie Cotton.

Rolling over at the sound of sniffling from the direction of the twins' cots, she inhaled deeply and threw back the duvet. A glance at her mobile told her that it was later than she'd thought, meaning that she only had half an hour to get the girls dressed and over to Carol's and herself ready for her trip to the spa with Ronnie and Roxy.

"You ready, K?" Roxy shouted up the staircase about twenty minutes later.

"One second." She shouted back, stuffing her bridesmaid's dress into the bag she'd packed to take with her. "Ruby! Go downstairs and see Aunty Rox, OK?"

"OK." The little girl replied cheerfully, stopping her twirling in front of the mirror and skipping off to find the blonde.

Slinging her bag over her shoulder and scooping Jessica and Sophie into her arms, the young woman headed after her older daughter. Roxy sent her an unimpressed look, arching an eyebrow and glancing at the clock meaningfully.

"Sorry, sorry." Katy apologised hastily. "Where's Mum?"

"She's gone round to see Charlie." Roxy sighed, shaking her head. "I told her it was bad luck, but apparently it was important."

Furrowing her eyebrows and wondering whether it had something to do with Nick, Katy nodded slowly. Then she smiled. "I'm just gonna drop the twins at Carol's and Ruby with Aleks."

"Remember to thank him, OK." Roxy ordered.

Katy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

Aleks had offered to look after Ruby and Amy while their mothers went to the spa and then take them to the Albert with him and Ineta. Not really having a reason to say no, and grateful for the offer, Katy had agreed. She still hadn't forgiven him for upsetting her aunt, but Ronnie and Roxy seemed to have put the whole thing behind them, so Katy was trying to do the same. For once, things seemed relatively calm and peaceful in their family and she was enjoying it. Who knew how long it would last, so she was keen to make the most of it.

Once the girls had been delivered to those who were going to look after them, Katy headed back to the house. She had considered going over to Dot's, under the pretence of looking for her mother, but decided against it. It was more than likely that Ronnie had already left and gone home anyway.

"Where've you been!" Roxy complained, throwing open the door before Katy could even turn her key in the lock. "Come on!"

She pushed past her niece, Ronnie's dress in her arms, unlocking the car as she went. Ronnie laughed softly, wrapping an arm around her daughter's shoulders and handing her bag over, before pulling the front door closed behind them. Grinning back, the younger woman allowed herself to be propelled over to Roxy's car and pushed into the back seat.

"What's the plan then?" She asked as Roxy started the car and started driving.

"Massages, facials and nails." The blonde informed her quickly. "Then change, hair and make up to be back here at the Albert for one."

"Action packed, then." The brunette muttered, leaning her head back and closing her eyes.

Roxy seemed to be on a mission at the spa, marching them from one treatment room to another. Ronnie and Katy trailed along behind her, howling with laughter at the pout she sent them when they started giggling at her sergeant major routine.

Finally the blonde announced that it was time for them to go and get changed so that their hair and make up could be done. Katy wriggled into her dress and appraised herself thoroughly in the mirror. She had managed to lose most of her baby weight and was happy with her appearance. Not that she was particularly interested in impressing anyone, let alone attracting anyone.

"You look beautiful, baby." Ronnie said, coming up behind her daughter in the mirror and resting her chin on Katy's shoulder. "Absolutely gorgeous."

"Oh, shut up." The brunette dismissed her quickly, turning to appraise her mother's outfit. "Wow! You look amazing."

"Yes, we all look hot." Roxy breezed past them. "But we don't have time for this. Come on, hair and make up!"

The mother and daughter laughed at her, but allowed themselves to be swept along in her wake. By the time they were ready to leave, they were fifteen minutes behind schedule and Roxy was flapping like a neurotic chicken. Ronnie was calm in comparison, assuring her that it was fine; she was the bride and everyone would expect her to be late to her own wedding. Roxy looked unconvinced, but took a deep breath and led them out to the car.

"_Madame!_" Roxy grinned as she held open the back door for Ronnie to get out.

"_Oh! Thank you!_" The bride exclaimed, seeing the decorations they had arranged for Jay, Ben, Phil and Sharon to put up at the bar. Wrapping an arm around each of the younger women, Ronnie smiled gently. "_I love you._"

The trio of Mitchell women stood in front of the car, looking at the building, before they thought about going inside.

"We'd better get in there, in case they think you've stood up him." Katy suggested with a shrug. Her mother narrowed her eyes and swatted at her playfully.

"_I've got grease in the boot of the car in case you can't fit through the door._" Roxy added.

Ronnie burst out laughing. "_You're really full of jokes today, aren't you?_"

"_So, look; this is your last chance. You can jump in a cab right now. You can run away forever._"

"_You're alright; I think I'll stay._"

"Good choice." Katy nodded. Both blondes looked at her in surprise and she shrugged. "What? Charlie's not that bad as far as blokes go."

"_Come on then, madame._" Roxy held out her arm and led her sister towards the bar.

Katy followed behind them, letting her aunt and mother walk into the Albert first. Everyone stood at their arrival, turning to look at the trio with beaming smiles on their faces. Katy looked down, slightly embarrassed by the attention she was receiving.

"Sit down, sit down." Ronnie urged the guests. "I've only got about ten minutes in these heels!"

As Roxy took her seat beside Aleks and Katy settled herself next to Lola, Ronnie joined Charlie at the front, biting her lip and smiling at her fiancé. He grinned back, looking her up and down appreciatively.

"_Good afternoon, everybody and welcome to the Albert, where today we will witness the marriage of Charlie and Ronnie._"

Katy sat and listened to the ceremony, almost as though it was happening to someone else, not her. She saw the happiness radiating from her mother and realised it was infectious. She was smiling, without her permission, just watching her mother's face.

"_I, Charlie Cotton…_"

"_Do take thee, Veronica Mitchell, to be my cherished and loving wife._"

"_Do take thee, Veronica Mitchell, to be my cherished and loving wife._" Charlie repeated, smiling broadly at her.

"_Charlie and Veronica, you have both made the declarations prescribed by law and have made solemn promises and a binding contract to each other in the presence of your friends and family gathered here today._" The registrar announced. "_This is the start of a new life for you together. We hope that the feeing of love that you have for each other will deepen and grow throughout the years to come. It gives me great pleasure to declare that you are now husband and wife. Congratulations._"


	71. Chapter 71

"Why did Ronnie run out of the wedding like that?" Lola asked a while later.

The two girls were sitting at a table in Ian's restaurant, sipping champagne and surveying the rest of the guests lazily. Katy leant back in her seat and sighed deeply at the question. She hadn't had a chance to speak to her mother about the strange interruption yet, but she was sure the explanation wasn't something that she'd be able to pass on to her cousin anyway. Instead she just shrugged.

"No idea."

"She's alright though, yeah?"

Katy nodded. "Yeah."

"Sure?"

"Course."

"What's up with Phil?" Lola asked after a moment, nodding over to where he was sitting on his own, staring in Ronnie's direction with a brooding expression on his face.

"When's something not up with Phil?" Katy pointed out. "Probably forgot to polish his head or something."

Lola snorted with laughter, spraying champagne all over the table and making her cousin splutter with amusement. They caught each other's eyes and started laughing again; descending into near hysterical giggles at the image Katy's comment had conjured up.

Their laughter was abruptly cut off, however, when the man in question jumped to his feet, overturning the table and shouting furiously at Ronnie who had sat down in front of him.

"_Do you know something? I've given you chances, haven't I?_" He roared irately. "_I tried to be on your side, but you… all you do is take me for a mug!_"

"_Oi, oi, oi!_" Roxy yelled, reaching them a split second before her niece. "_What is the matter?_"

"_I've given you chances and you've pushed it._" Phil continued, ignoring her completely. "_You've pushed it too far this time, 'cos this time you're going to pay._"

"Phil!" Katy put a hand on his arm, only to have it shaken off immediately.

"_What was that all about?_" Charlie demanded, voicing the question in everyone's minds as Phil stormed out.

"_Ronnie!_" Roxy demanded as her sister got up and made to follow their cousin out without answering him.

"_Stay there._" She snapped. Seeing that Katy was about to ignore her and follow her out, she pointed at her warningly. "You too."

As she disappeared outside, Roxy turned to her niece questioningly. "Any ideas?"

Katy shrugged. "No."

"Katy?" Charlie turned to her. "If you know something…?"

"Nope."

"Really?" Roxy looked unconvinced. "You usually have a good idea about what your mum's up to."

"I don't know what that was about, OK?" The brunette defended herself, glancing past them and trying to decide whether to ignore her mother's warning and go out after her anyway.

"Maybe I should…"

Before either woman could say anything, Charlie had slipped past them and walked outside to see what was going on. With him gone, Roxy turned to Katy again and wrapped her hand around her wrist.

"Spill."

"Rox, I have no idea."

"I don't believe you!"

Katy sighed. "That's your problem. I honestly don't know what Phil's beef is about, OK?"

Before Roxy could push her any more, the bride and groom reappeared through the doorway with Sharon on their heels. Katy intended to make a beeline for her mother, to demand some kind of explanation, but it appeared she wasn't the only one. Ronnie was immediately surrounded by people who wanted answers, so her daughter grabbed another glass of champagne off a forgotten tray and settled herself back in her seat to wait.

Gradually, the excitement died down and Ronnie went looking for the brunette. She dropped into the seat beside her daughter's and exhaled deeply.

"My feet are killing me." She announced as though nothing unusual had happened since they'd spoken last. "You having a good time, sweetie?"

"Mmmm…" Katy agreed, nodding. She looked up and met her mother's eyes curiously. "What's going on?"

Ronnie sighed. "Phil found out about the money."

"Oh. I guessed it must have something to do with that."

"Yeah… I virtually begged him to deal with Nick, but… I don't know if he will. He's furious with me."

"Did you expect anything less? It might be Rox's money, but in Phil's head it's his. How did you think he was going to react to losing a hundred grand?" Ronnie just raised her eyebrows and shrugged. "And at the Albert? Why did you walk out?"

"I saw Nick." Ronnie admitted. "He's back."

Katy almost dropped her glass in astonishment. "What?"

"Yeah, I know. Apparently the money wasn't enough. Phil reckons he's gonna keep demanding more. I hate to admit it, but…"

"He's probably right." Katy agreed, leaning back in her chair and shaking her head. "Fuck, mum. What are we going to do?"

"We are not going to do anything, baby." Ronnie told her firmly. "This is not your battle. I don't want you involved."

The young woman narrowed her eyes. "Oh, so this is something between you and your new family, is it?" She asked, childishly. "I'm not involved."

"You know I didn't mean that."

"Do I?"

"Katherine Margaret Mitchell, stop being a drama queen."

"I'm not." She muttered moodily.

"You are." Her mother said bluntly. "Now they're about to start the speeches, so come and sit with me and your aunt."

"Don't want to…"

"That wasn't a request, sweetie." Ronnie told her with a smile.

Unable to help herself, Katy smirked and allowed Ronnie to pull her to her feet. She went over to the table where Roxy was already siting and slid into one of the chairs, pulling it forward so that her mother could get past and sit beside her.

"OK… before the speeches, I want to read out some of the cards we got from people who we wish could be here, but couldn't." Charlie explained with a smile. "Family and friends and that." He flipped open the first card and read it quickly, before grinning. "_OK, this one's from Ronnie's cousin Grant Mitchell. It says… 'Charlie, I've not met you but you're clearly mad. MOSGOF, my friend; Marry One Sister, Get One Free!_"

"Grant's Phil's brother, right?" Katy asked while everyone laughed. "The one in Portugal?"

Ronnie nodded. "Yeah, that's him. You'll meet him one day."

"Is he as nuts as Phil?"

Both sisters pretended to think for a moment, before nodding and answering in unison. "Yep."

"Oh good."

"_And this one's from… this one is from Peggy._" Charlie announced.

All three Mitchell women looked at each other and immediately did an impression of the woman. They started laughing, thoroughly amused by themselves, everyone else chuckling along with them.

They listened to Charlie reading Peggy's message, Katy reaching out to squeeze her mother's hand as she saw her welling up at the touching comments she made. She wished that Phil had been there to hear it, realising that he hadn't come back and wondering where he'd gone. Ronnie nudged her, bringing her out of her daydream, to let Charlie through so that he could sit beside his new wife on the other side. It was only then that she realised that Aleks was standing up, ready to make his speech.

He cleared his throat nervously. "_Some people get married in Church… and then there's people who just go to their local bar or restaurant. That's blasphemy. Or, bad taste, to say the least._" He started off.

Katy snorted with amusement, almost choking on her drink as Roxy turned and fixed her and Ronnie with a horrified stare at what her boyfriend was saying.

"_But then, Walford is a hell of a place and people here like to drink and fornicate. So why not combine the two?_"

The brunette Mitchell spluttered, unable to contain her laughter any longer. Roxy shot her another look and Ronnie swatted at her arm, trying not to laugh herself.

"_This is actually painful, d'you know?_" Roxy asked, her expression agreeing with her words. "_What was I thinking?_" She stopped abruptly as Ronnie stopped laughing, her face dropping. "_What's the matter?_"

"_I think my waters just broke._"

"What?" Katy breathed, instinctively moving her chair further away.

"Right, let's go." Roxy took charge, standing up hurriedly. "Katy, you stay here with the kids. I'll drive."

"What?" Her niece demanded, looking furious. "No way. I'm coming."

"There's nothing you can do, sweetie." Ronnie assured her gently. "Not for a while at least. Stay here with the girls and then Roxy will let you know what's happening, OK? There's no point all of us missing the party to hang around the hospital."

"But–"

"Honestly, Katy."

"I'll look after her." Charlie promised, irritating Katy more.

She scowled. "Fine, if you don't want me there. Whatever. I'm not bothered anyway."

As they left, Katy grabbed yet another drink and downed it quickly. She didn't even bother to watch them go, clenching her jaw and fighting back the tears that were threatening to spill down her cheeks.


	72. Chapter 72

Only a couple of moments after her mother had left for the hospital, a strange sensation completely overtook Katy. She shuddered, going very cold, almost as though someone had tipped a bucket of icy water over her. The champagne glass slipped from her hand and smashed on the floor.

"Katy? Are you OK?" Jane asked, seeing the accident and rushing over to clear up the mess before anyone stood on it.

"Huh?" The younger woman blinked at her in confusion. "Sorry… I…"

"Katy?"

Shaking her head, the Mitchell backed away, before looking distractedly around the room. "I've got to… something's happened…"

"What?" Jane looked confused, obviously worried that there was something seriously wrong with the young woman.

"I don't know." Katy admitted, shaking her head to rid herself of the strange feeling. She glanced down and realised what Jane was doing. "Oh, god. Sorry, Jane. I'll do that."

Crouching down beside her, the brunette was very aware of the concerned look the older woman was still fixing her with. She smiled weakly, picking up the bigger shards of glass and cradling them carefully in her hand.

"Are you alright?"

Katy laughed softly. "Yeah… it's these shoes." She kicked off her heels and pushed them under a nearby table. "I'm lethal in them!"

Still unconvinced, Jane took the glass from her and carried it out the back. She returned a moment later with a dustpan and brush, getting rid of the rest of the evidence of Katy's moment. The young woman smiled at her and retreated, eager to escape her gaze. She found herself sitting beside Dot and Ian instead and wondered whether she was any better off there. Doing her best to ignore their gossiping, Katy still couldn't shake the feeling that something bad had happened.

Billy rushing into the restaurant caught her attention and she looked up, fear sweeping over her at the harassed expression on his face. As he ordered Fat Boy to turn the music down, she went cold again.

"_Guys, sorry, there's been an accident in the Square!_" Fat Boy announced over the microphone.

"_Roxy's turned her motor over!_" Billy told Jay hastily. "_Come on!_"

Katy barely registered his words. She felt sick to her stomach but, before anyone could stop her she was sprinting after Billy out of the door, glad she'd already lost her shoes. Fuelled by her panic and adrenaline, she easily overtook her cousin and even left Jay and Ben behind as she raced towards the Vic.

Seeing the sight of Roxy's car in the middle of the Gardens, she stopped abruptly, feeling her knees going weak. Katy didn't even realise that the scream that was filling her ears was coming from her own mouth. And then she was running again, bolting towards the vehicle that held two of the most important people in her entire world.

Someone caught her round the waist before she could reach the car, holding her back tightly. She struggled and fought against them, kicking and scratching and doing anything she could to get free. But they were too strong.

"Mum!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "Roxy! Mum!" Her frustration at being held back boiled over and she burst into loud, angry sobs. "Let me go! Just fucking let me go!"

"No, Katy." A deep, calming voice told her firmly. "It's not safe."

"Peter! Fucking let me go!"

"No." He repeated.

"I want… shit! Fire!" Katy screamed, pointing to the car where flames had suddenly appeared from nowhere. "It's on fire! Mum!"

"_Is that Phil in there?_" Jay asked as they finally caught up.

"_There are some extinguishers in the caf._" Peter told them. "Billy, keep hold of Katy."

As she was pushed firmly into her older cousin's arms and the others sprinted away to find something to put out the fire, Katy fought to get free. She didn't stop to consider that she might hurt Billy. All she wanted to do was get to the car.

"Katy, stop!" Billy tried to reason with her. "There's nothing you can do. If you get yourself injured it's just gonna make things worse!"

"Mum's in there!" She screeched. "And Roxy! Why are you just standing here holding onto me! Why aren't you doing anything?"

"Stop, Katy!"

"No! Mum! Roxy!"

"Roxy's out, Katy." Billy told her, flinching as her arms flailed dangerously. "She's out. She's in the Vic. So's Charlie."

"So… Mum!"

That time she was strong enough to knock Billy off balance. As he stumbled, she freed herself and took off towards the burning car. Completely ignoring the screams and shouts for her to get back, the young woman barrelled into Phil, who was sitting half in, half out of the passenger's seat.

"Mum!"

"Katy…" Ronnie breathed weakly. "What are you…? It's not safe."

"I'm gonna get you out, OK?" Her daughter promised, tears still running down her cheeks. "You promised me, remember? You promised me you'd always be here. You're not allowed to leave me, right?"

The blonde smiled weakly. "Right."

"Katy, move." Phil ordered, pushing her none too gently away. "It's too dangerous."

"You're still here!"

"Think about your girls. What are they going to do if something happens to you, eh?"

"I'll be fine."

He scowled at her. "Get back."

"Katy!"

She turned and saw her aunt rushing towards her, but being held back by Aleks. He pulled the blonde into his arms and cradled her tightly. Whipping her head between the burning car and Roxy, Katy completely ignored Phil's orders and rushed towards him.

"I'm not leaving her." She growled.

"Katy!"

Moving away, she rounded the back of the car and yanked the door open, leaning inside and smiling at Ronnie, who blinked several times before focusing on her. "Hey."

"Go…"

"I'm not going anywhere." The brunette said defiantly. "Not without you."

"I love you."

Katy smiled. "I love you too, Mum."

As Ronnie whimpered in pain, Phil leant out of the car. "Billy, what's happening?"

"They're coming! Hurry up!"

"Spray the radiator and through the gap, but don't open the bonnet whatever you do." Jay was telling them as they rushed towards the car with the fire extinguishers.

Katy coughed as smoke billowed over her as the fire was gradually put out. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the all clear. Seconds later, someone bundled into her and she realised that it was Roxy. The blonde linked their fingers, squeezing hard, before shifting her slightly so that she could see Ronnie.

"_Ron… Ronnie can you hear me?_"

"_Ah…_" The older sister gasped. "_Save the baby._"

"_Hey, hey! We're going to save both of you._"

"_Listen to me… I'm being serious. If it comes down to it… don't save me. I don't matter. Just… save the baby._"

"_No._" Roxy refused.

"_Promise me…_"

"Mum… please don't…" Katy sobbed. "You promised me."

"Your brother… save him."

"I can't."

"_Promise me!_" Ronnie shouted desperately. "_Just…_" She broke off with a loud groan. "_Promise me._"

Against their will, the three Mitchells found themselves agreeing, just to save Ronnie the stress. Katy felt the tears falling from her eyes but could do nothing to stop them. She knew that, if she was put in that position, she wouldn't be able to keep her promise. It was selfish, she knew, but she needed her mum. She couldn't bear the thought of losing Ronnie.


	73. Chapter 73

Roxy and Charlie went in the ambulances to the hospital, but Katy was forced to travel with Phil in his car after asking Lola to look after Amy and Ruby and collect the twins from Carol's. Neither of them spoke as Phil drove through the streets at breakneck speed, each too worried about what they were missing to bother making conversation.

When they finally found their way to the right place, a doctor was talking to Roxy and Charlie, explaining Ronnie's condition. Katy listened in confusion, unable to take anything in. She stared, wild-eyed, between her aunt, step-uncle and step-father, hoping that they were able to understand more than she was and explain it all to her.

"_Is she gonna be alright?_" Phil asked, voicing the only question that mattered to Katy at that moment.

"_She's stable but critical._" The doctor told them bluntly. "_We'll take each hour as it comes._"

"_What about the baby?_"

"_We're being guided by the obstetrics team. They're keeping a close eye on everything. They may want to deliver the baby in the next 24 hours._"

"_Shouldn't the baby come out now?_" Phil asked with a frown.

"_Mrs Mitchell is in a critical condition. The baby's best served by us looking after the mother._"

"_But if she dies, I mean… so does the baby._"

"_She's not going to die, Roxy._" Charlie spat while Katy glared at her aunt for even suggesting it.

"_But what if she does?_"

"She's not going to." Her niece hissed back. "She can't."

"_Hasn't the baby got rights or something?_" Phil asked, deflecting the tension.

"_The baby's OK at the moment._" The doctor assured them. "_As long as we make sure Mrs Mitchell's stable, the baby has the best chance._"

"_Are you fobbing us off?_" Phil demanded.

Roxy exhaled sharply. "_Look, please… OK, my sister… my sister has lost… she's lost children already, OK? If she survives and the baby doesn't… I dunno what she'll do, Phil…_"

"_I understand what you're saying…_"

"_No, you don't._" Roxy told her, shaking her head. They all thought back to what had happened after James' death. "_I am begging you… I'm begging you… please, you've gotta save the baby. Look, we made a promise to her. It might've been the last thing she ever asked of me._"

"_We'll do everything we can._" The doctor promised, before turning and leaving.

There was a silence as they were left alone in the corridor, before Charlie looked at Roxy carefully. "_What did you say about a promise?_"

"_The baby over her. That's what she asked for._"

"_They're both going to survive._" He replied angrily. "_What do you want her to die for?_"

"_I don't want her to die, Charlie!_" Roxy exploded. "_Of course I don't want her to die! She's my sister. I love her. But… it's what she wants._"

"_Well she's my wife and I'll make the decisions, not you two_."

Katy nodded, feeling close to her step-father for the first time ever. "And she's my mum and I agree with Charlie."

He looked at her in obvious surprise for a moment, before nodding sharply and turning away. He hesitated for a moment, before reaching out and laying a hand on the young woman's shoulder. After giving it a comforting squeeze, his hand dropped and he walked away down the corridor, leaving Katy with Phil and Roxy.

"Katy…" Her aunt started, but the brunette shook her head.

"No… I know that's what she wanted but I… she's my mum, Rox. I can't… I need her." She explained tearfully. "I can't lose her… not again. And… I know she lost the other babies but… I'm still here and… I should be enough. Why can't I be enough for her to live for?"

"Come here." Roxy sobbed, pulling Katy into her arms and holding her close. They both cried, tears running into the other's hair as they clung on tightly. "You are enough. She loves you."

"So why…?"

"Wouldn't you want to save your girls over yourself?" Roxy asked softly. Katy chewed her lip, not even having to think about it. She nodded slowly. "It's the same for your mum. She'd do the same for you if she had to."

Katy sobbed. "I don't want her to die."

"I know, baby, I know."

When they had managed to calm Katy down significantly, Roxy led her over to some hard, plastic seats and forced her to sit down. The young woman couldn't stay still, her legs twitching and her hands twisting in her lap as they waited for some kind of news or signal as to what was going on in the room where Ronnie was being treated.

Charlie kept glancing at his phone and, as it began to vibrate in his hands, he announced that it was Ian, before standing up and walking away, leaving the three Mitchells alone. Phil sighed and moved to sit in Charlie's recently vacated seat.

"_You OK?_" Katy was still too upset to answer and Roxy just showed him the bruise on her shoulder in response. He nodded knowingly. "_Seat belt._"

"_I felt the steering snap._" She told them bitterly. "_I still kept trying to turn it, though._"

"_Scary, init?_"

"_Do cars do that? I mean, do breaks just stop working, Phil?_"

He shrugged. "_They can do, you know. Fault in the line… a weak spot or something._"

"_What was that row about, Phil?_"

"_Money_." He sighed, shaking his head. "_Stupid… it weren't anything._"

They all glanced up as doctors and nurses started to run past them, suddenly becoming aware of furious beeping coming from somewhere. Exchanging a look, they were all on their feet, rushing towards the source of the noise and commotion.

"_Something's wrong._" Roxy announced unnecessarily, hot on her niece's heels as Katy headed along the corridor.

"_What's happened? Why are you out here?_" Charlie demanded, rounding the corner seconds later and seeing them leaning against he wall by the doors to the room.

"_Don't. Charlie, don't._" Phil ordered him. "_Charlie!_"

"_Charlie… Charlie._" Roxy shook her head, sniffing as she spoke. "_I don't think she's gonna make it._"

Katy clenched her fists, knowing that her aunt was just scared, but finding it difficult not to lose her temper with the blonde. She followed her step-father as he pushed through the doors and headed into the room, standing close beside him as he surveyed his wife on the operating table.

"_You can't be in here, I'm afraid._"

"_I want more blood._" The doctor ordered. They all stopped as the sporadic beeping sound became a steady one. "_Check pulse._"

"_I can't feel a pulse._"

"_Right, begin CPR. Blood. One milligram of adrenaline._"

"_Foetal heart rate's dropping._"

"_No, no, no! You've got to save the baby!_" Roxy told them, almost pleadingly. "_Alright, please save the baby. Please save the baby!_"

"_Can someone get the family out?_"

"_Sorry, I'm going to have to ask you to leave._" A nurse said, unsuccessfully attempting to shepherd them through the double doors.

"_No!_" Roxy argued. "_Look, it was the last thing she said to me. Please, I am begging you! Please save the baby!_"

"_Rox, out._" Phil manhandled her out of the room as she completely broke down. "_Come on, out_. Katy?"

But the younger woman was standing totally still, staring at her mother in shock. She couldn't process what she was seeing or hearing. Katy was willing her mother to get up, for all of this to be some kind of sick joke. She wanted Ronnie to sit up and laugh at the expressions on their faces, telling them to stop taking things so seriously.

"_Could be a placental bleed… he has to come out now._"

"_Maintain CPR… prep for crash caesarean._"

Charlie reached out and took Katy's hand, pulling her out of the room with her. She didn't put up a fuss, unable to harness the brainpower to fight him. Instead she meekly walked out into the corridor, staring blankly ahead of her. Beside her, Roxy was leaning heavily against the wall, crying loudly. Katy barely even registered her presence.

"_He's been born._" Phil announced.

Somehow his words made their way into Katy's mind and she turned quickly to look at him. "Mum?"

Phil just looked blankly back at her, giving no sign either way. Katy looked down again, staring at the floor.

"_I can't hear anything…_" Roxy whispered, rushing past to peer through the window.

"_I don't think he's gonna make it."_

Roxy pushed through the double doors and stood, watching the doctors and nurses attempting to bring Ronnie back. Katy couldn't face seeing her mother like that again, but her feet didn't seem to have got the message and she found herself beside her aunt.

She blinked, hearing the monitor flat lining. She took a hesitant step forward, swallowing anxiously as she realised what the steady, high-pitched sound meant. Beside her, Roxy's breath hitched and she let out a dry sob.

"No…" The brunette almost whispered, her voice cracking. "No… Mum. No!"

"_It's been ten minutes. We need to stop._"

As the medical team stepped away from her mother and Roxy let out an animalistic scream, Katy turned and ran. She fled down the corridor without knowing where she was going, except that she needed to get away from there.


	74. Chapter 74

_**A/N: I'm so sorry there's been such a massive delay in this being updated. We've had something really important - like job-dependant important - at work this term, which culminated in a massively important meeting on Friday so the whole of this term has been pretty crazy and busy in preparation. That's on top of how crazy and busy it is normally! With 34 three-to-seven-year-olds to teach I don't have much time anyway!**_

_**Fingers crossed I can get some writing done over Easter so there won't be such a wait again!**_

_**x**_

* * *

><p>Katy didn't know where she was planning to go when she ran out of the hospital room. She fled through the corridors, desperately looking for a way out. When someone reached out and grabbed her arm, yanking her backwards, she had absolutely no idea who the hand wrapped tightly around her bicep belonged to.<p>

Turning, she fully intended to give whoever had stopped her a piece of her mind. Katy assumed that it was a hospital porter or a nurse who would simply have a go at her for sprinting through the corridors. Her furious words died in her throat, however, as she realised that the man hanging onto her was none other than Max Branning.

"What… what are you…? Why are you here?" She stammered out.

"Emma… she… she was hit by Roxy's car."

"Oh." Katy was at a loss for words. "It wasn't… it was an accident."

"Hey, I know." Max assured her gently. "I heard about Ronnie… are you OK?"

"I…"

Unable to continue, the young woman burst into tears, burying her head in her former lover's chest and sobbing noisily. Max wrapped her in a tight embrace, smoothing down her hair and pressing his lips to the side of her head as he held her. Katy struggled to regain her composure, hating the feeling that she had lost control so completely in front of him, but she was unable to claw back any semblance of calm.

"Incoming Mitchell." Max muttered, looking over Katy's head and through the small window in the door at the end of the corridor. At her concerned expression, he smiled. "Phil."

"I don't want to see him."

Nodding, Max propelled Katy through the door to his left and shut it firmly. Pressing her ear up against the door, she strained to hear the conversation going on between Max and her step-uncle.

"_Max?_ _What're you doing here?_" Phil demanded.

"_I just brought Emma in… I think she had a bang to the head. She blacked out completely and I think she's having a CT scan or…_"

"_I'm sorry to hear that. Let's hope she's alright._"

"_Yeah… How's Ronnie._"

Phil exhaled sharply. "_We… we thought we'd lost her. She's had the baby._"

"_Well that's good._"

"_Yeah…_"

"_Well give my best, yeah?_"

There was a pause. "You haven't seen Katy, have ya? She ran out before… I think she thinks Ronnie's dead."

"Katy? No, sorry."

"Right."

There was another pause and then the handle of the door turned and Katy stepped backwards, half-hiding herself behind the metal shelving unit that took over most of the space in the cupboard. Max held out his hand, which she took without question, pulling her clear of the room and shutting the door behind her. Neither of them spoke for a moment or two and then Max sighed and wrapped her in another tight hug.

Katy wiped her eyes and sniffed. "You should go to Emma."

"She's having a scan, they won't let me see her at the moment." He sighed. "You should get back though."

"Yeah… I thought. I honestly thought…"

"I know, babe." He pressed a kiss to the side of her head and sighed. "But she's not, alright? Go and be with her."

Sending him a weak smile, she stumbled away back along the corridor in the direction she had run earlier. Now that she was thinking about where she was going and looking for a specific location, it was much more difficult to navigate her way through the hospital than before.

Finally she found the right room, meeting Phil's eyes and bursting into tears. He stepped forward awkwardly and attempted to give her what, she assumed, was a reassuring hug. It felt forced and Katy soon stepped back out of the circle of his arms and scrubbed at her eyes with the heels of her palms. Showing any sign of weakness in front of Phil just felt wrong.

"She's alive." He told her gruffly, clearly under the impression that she still didn't know.

Katy made a squeaking sound in her throat, choking back another wave of tears. She nodded. "The baby?"

"He's fine. Charlie and Roxy are in with him… you can go and meet him if you want."

"What about Mum? Can I see her?"

"Not just yet." Phil said. "Go and meet your brother."

Moving to the door that he was indicating, Katy hesitated with one hand on the plastic panel beside the window. A glance over her shoulder caused Phil to nod his head reassuringly at her and she took a deep breath, stepping into the room and walking slowly towards her aunt.

Roxy looked over and smiled, holding out her hand to the younger woman. Katy took it and stood close to her aunt, almost burrowing into her side as she stared down into the incubator where her baby brother was lying. He was so tiny and barely looked as though he was breathing. The brunette couldn't quite believe that he was real. All three of her daughters had made far more noise than he was making.

"Is he OK?"

"He's perfect." Roxy sniffed, pressing her forehead against her niece's head and smiling into her hair. "Absolutely perfect."

A scuffling noise to their right caused Katy to turn. She watched in bewilderment as Charlie strode from the room without a backwards glance, letting the door swing closed behind him. Turning to Roxy, the younger Mitchell raised a questioning eyebrow.

Roxy sighed. "He's struggling with Ronnie being in here. He can't accept it. He barely wanted to leave the waiting room to come and meet his son in case there was news about Ron."

"But… she will be alright, won't she?"

"I don't know, babe." The blonde admitted quietly, moving her gaze back to the tiny baby so that she wouldn't have to hold Katy's gaze. "I really don't know."


	75. Chapter 75

Over the next weeks, Katy almost became a zombie. With no sign of an improvement at the hospital, she barely consented to leave her mother's bedside at all. Everyone tried to get her to return to her normal life, but she wouldn't listen. Most of the childcare fell to Roxy, who was struggling to look after Ineta, Amy, Ruby, the twins and the new baby on her own. Aleks helped out as much as he could but with his job on the market to go to, that wasn't as often as his girlfriend would have liked.

"Katy… Katy!"

Jerking awake, the brunette looked around in confusion, wondering what was going on. She straightened slowly in her chair and rubbed the back of her neck with a wince. Roxy was standing beside her, peering down at her niece with a look of concern on her face.

"You need to go home and get some proper sleep."

"No." Katy refused, shaking her head vehemently. "Mum wouldn't leave me. I'm not leaving her."

"Babe, you've pretty much been camped here for over a month."

"I don't care."

"Just go for a couple of hours, OK, then you can–"

"No!" The brunette scowled at her aunt. "They're gonna try and wake her up again today and I'm not gonna risk missing it. I want to be here."

"Fine!" Roxy held up her hands in a show of defeat. "Fine."

Settling herself in the seat on the other side of the bed to the one Katy had taken up residence in, Roxy tried to engage her niece in conversation. The brunette wasn't keen to talk. She had spent the past six or so weeks making minimal conversation with anybody. Almost all of her time had been spent holding her mother's hand and silently begging, praying even, for her to be alright.

"Listen… if the worst happens…"

"It won't."

"Katy, you need to–"

"She'll wake up."

There was a soft tap on the door and both women turned to see Charlie in the doorway, cradling Matthew in his arms. Roxy smiled weakly and beckoned him forward, but Katy barely even registered his presence. She returned her gaze to her mother immediately, tightening her grip on Ronnie's hand.

Sliding out of her chair, the blonde moved to stand beside her brother-in-law. She held out her arms for the baby, but Charlie shook his head and shifted Matthew slightly so that he was in a more comfortable position.

"_Did the doctor say how long she would be?_"

"_No…_"

"_So what do we do in the mean time?_"

"_We just wait._" Roxy told him with a sigh.

Charlie exhaled sharply. "_How many more times are they going to keep trying?"_

"_They're not._"

Katy whipped her head around at her aunt's words, her eyes widening in horror as the implication of what Roxy had said settled on her. "What?"

"_This is is… she's… she's gonna wake up._"

"_And what if she doesn't, Roxy?_" Charlie demanded.

"_She's gonna wake up today! Alright?_"

"She will." Katy agreed firmly, turning back to her mother and lowering herself forward so that her forehead was resting on Ronnie's hand.

"_She has to…_"

Sending her step-father a scowl, the young brunette focused the entirety of her attention on her unconscious mother. She started a monologue in her head, pleading with Ronnie to respond when they took her off the ventilator. She reminded her how much she needed her, how much they all needed her. Katy was so deep in her one-sided, silent conversation that she jumped a mile when Roxy laid her hands gently on her shoulders.

"We need to go."

"What?"

"The nurses want to check her over." Roxy said gently. "Let's go and get some dinner while they're doing that, then we can come straight back."

Reluctantly Katy let go of Ronnie's hand and stood. She had fought against leaving while the nurses ran their tests many times and she had lost every single argument. It was the only time that she would leave the room with anything bordering on willingness.

"Let's go back to the Square." Roxy suggested quietly. "The girls miss you."

"But–"

"We'll be back ages before anything happens." Her aunt promised.

The trio headed out into the car park, Roxy keeping a firm hold on Katy's hand as though she thought the brunette would turn and dash back into the hospital at her first chance. Oddly, though, the younger Mitchell put up no resistance and got into the back of the car without complaint. She didn't say a single word as they drove through the dark streets and rounded the gardens in the centre of Albert Square.

"Katy!"

"Now's not a good time, Max." Roxy snapped, putting an arm around her niece and fearing that the man was about to start harassing her. Talking to Max was the last thing she wanted Katy to do. She was fully aware that they had been in contact regularly, but she didn't know to what extent and she didn't like it at all. "We're in a hurry."

"I just wanted to ask if she's seen Lauren."

"Not for ages…" Katy said in a quiet voice. "I haven't seen anyone…"

As the words left her mouth, the brunette realised how true that statement was. She hadn't seen any of her friends and barely any of her family for about six weeks. She had hardly left the hospital and, really, had no idea what was going on in the outside world. Katy didn't even know what day it was.

"Come on."

Wrapping an arm around the younger woman, Roxy pulled her towards the house. Despite the fact that she had been telling, almost ordering, Katy to leave the hospital and try and resume normal life and she had been completely ignored, Roxy felt desperately sorry for her. It was bad enough remembering that her sister was lying in a coma, but for Katy it must have been even worse.

She propelled Katy into the living room and called up to the girls that they were home. There was a stampede on the stairs and she smirked as she went into the kitchen and began searching for something to cook for dinner.


	76. Chapter 76

"_Where'd that come from?_" Charlie asked, spotting a single rose in a glass on the table by Ronnie's bed as soon as they re-entered her hospital room.

"_What?_" Roxy demanded. She was incredibly irritated with him and had had enough of his negative attitude.

"_That rose._"

"_Oh, I don't know… Billy and Lola must have come in._"

Katy immediately took up her position beside her mother's bed once more. She squeezed Ronnie's hand, her eyes roving over her face for any indication that she might be ready to wake up.

"_Look at you… just lying there, hmm? You get the easy job, don't you? I'm the one who has to tell Matthew where his mummy is._" Roxy shook her head. "I'm the one who has to explain to Ruby and the twins why their mummy isn't at home." Katy felt another twinge of guilt, but pushed it to the side quickly. "_Why aren't you fighting this, Ron? I need you here… knocking some sense into me. Why can't you just do as you're told for once in your life?_"

The doors swung open and then closed again. The trio around the bed turned and looked at the doctor, who fixed them with a serious look. She hesitated before speaking and Katy immediately feared the worst. She instantly panicked that the doctor was going to say there had been a problem or that they had decided not to try waking her up or something. She gripping Ronnie's hand painfully tightly.

"_My team are ready whenever you are._" The doctor told them after a moment or two.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Katy squeezed her eyes shut. "Now. Do it now."

"Katy…" Charlie looked at her with a strange look on his face. "Don't put all your hopes on–"

"Shut up!" She snapped, turning to the doctor again. "Do it."

The woman nodded and beckoned for her team to come in. She ushered the three of them aside and looked over the monitors quickly, before turning to speak to them in a serious tone. "_As you know, the ventilator has allowed Ronnie's body and heart to be artificially oxygenated. So, unless Ronnie starts breathing for herself, we have to accept the possibility that there could be damage to her brain, which is irrecoverable._"

"She will…" Katy murmured, rubbing harshly at her tears. "She'll fight…"

Roxy reached out and took her niece's hand as they disconnected the tube that was feeding oxygen into Ronnie's lungs. She clung on tightly as they all watched the monitor for any change. Charlie put his arms around both women, rubbing soothing circles on their shoulders as they all waited for any sign from Ronnie that she was fighting to survive.

And then she breathed.

Katy's knees felt weak and she almost collapsed. An involuntary sob was ripped from her lips as her mother gasped for breath and she turned and buried her face in Charlie's chest, relief rippling through her in giant waves.

"_What? What?_" Roxy demanded, causing the younger Mitchell to turn back to see what was happening. "_What's wrong with her?_"

Her relief from seconds before was replaced by crippling dread at the implication that there was something not right. She stumbled forward, closer to her mother, but Charlie's hand pulled her back.

"_Look's like your sister's a fighter, Miss Mitchell._" The doctor told them with a smile. "_She's started breathing for herself._"

Katy burst into tears. It was all too much for her to deal with. She lurched forward, pushing Charlie away as he tried to stop her, pressing a kiss to her mother's forehead. Roxy moved in beside her, copying her movements and laughing through her own tears.

"_Ronnie, I knew it! I knew it! I knew it, you stubborn old cow!_"

For the first time since the car crash that had left her mother in the hospital bed she was still lying in, Katy didn't feel as though she needed to stay with her. Now that Ronnie was breathing on her own, the young woman felt calm and confident in the fact that she would get better; that she would survive this.

"I'm gonna phone Lola and Phil…" She muttered, kissing Roxy on the cheek and smiling broadly.

Roxy frowned. "You're going?"

"Just outside." Katy said, her eyes roving back to her mother. "They'll want to know and… she's fighting, Rox!"

With a broad smile and a nod, the blonde squeezed her hand and turned back to her sister as the younger Mitchell left the hospital room, smiling at Charlie as she passed. There was something about his demeanour that seemed wrong to Katy, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. He didn't seem quite as excited about the new turn of events as she would have expected but, she reasoned, perhaps he was struggling to get his head around it.

In the hospital corridor she leant heavily against the wall and sighed deeply. Her eyes flickered closed in relief and she let out another long sigh. Fumbling with her mobile, she dragged it out of her pocket and scrolled through her recent contacts.

"Max?"

"Listen, Katy, I can't talk at the moment… I've got a situation."

There was a hurried, muffled conversation on the other end of the line and then a woman's voice crackled through. "Katy? How are you, darlin'? It's Tanya!"

"Tan? What… what are you doing back on the Square? What's going on?"

"I came back for Jane's wedding." The older woman explained. "I heard about your mum… how are you?"

"Oh, good news." Katy smiled to herself. "She's breathing by herself. They've just taken her off the ventilator and she's breathing."

"Oh, love! I'm so pleased for you."

"Thanks. I'll… I'll let you get on with whatever you're doing."

At the tone of her voice, Tanya chuckled. "It's nothing like that. Just a few family issues to deal with."

"Well, I've got to go, anyway." Katy told her awkwardly. "Hopefully I'll see you before you leave."

"Yeah, hopefully." The older woman agreed before they ended the call.

Breathing deeply, the Mitchell shook her head and started searching through her contacts for Phil's number. Once she had passed on the news to him, Lola and Billy and then called Aleks as well, she was ready to go back into the hospital room where, she hoped, her mother would soon be regaining consciousness.

There was a definite atmosphere in the room when she walked through the swinging doors. Roxy was brushing her sister's hair away from her face tenderly, while Charlie looked on. Katy narrowed her eyes, wondering what she had missed.

"I'm gonna go and get a coffee." Roxy said suddenly. "Want one?"

"Yeah, please."

Charlie pulled out his mobile. "I'm gonna phone Mum and Grandma–"

"_Charlie… Charlie look…"_ Roxy cut across him, nodding towards Ronnie as she lay in the bed.

Katy scooted closer as the blonde blinked several times, before focusing on her daughter's face. Then Ronnie closed her eyes again tiredly.

"_Ronnie… hey, hey, it's me!_" Roxy told her, leaning closer. "_It's Rox._"

When there was no response, Charlie left the room to make the phone calls he had been intending to make before his wife opened her eyes, leaving the two Mitchells alone in the room. A couple of minutes passed and then, wiping her eyes and smiling happily, Roxy left as well to fetch the coffees she had promised her niece.

The second the door closed, Katy burst into tears. She bent forward, resting her cheek against her mother's arm. Seeing Ronnie's eyes for the first time since New Year had sent her emotions crashing through her until she could barely stand it any more. She was so distraught that she didn't even notice the slightly stiff fingers combing gently through her hair.

x-x

"… _you can't go there._" Dot was saying when Katy slipped back into the hospital room a little while later. She had left with Roxy to pop back to the house, deciding to return when it was, hopefully, quieter.

"_I'm gonna kill him!_"

"_You can't!_" The elderly woman shouted at her grandson, making the Mitchell jump at the sudden tone of her voice. "_I already have._" Her face fell at the realisation of what she'd just said and done. "_I've killed my son…_"

"What?"

"Grandma…" Katy breathed, looking at her wide-eyed. She wouldn't judge Dot for her confession, she had no right to; all the young woman wanted to know was whether she could help.

"I'm gonna sort this." Charlie muttered, turning on his heels and slamming through the doors.

Dot hurried after him, pausing beside Katy who was still staring at her. "Stay with your mother, Katy. She needs you more."

"But, Grandma… I don't understand."

"It's better that way." The old woman insisted, smiling wryly and patting her on the cheek.

As she and Fat Boy left the hospital room, Katy stumbled across the floor to the chair that Dot had recently vacated and sank down into it numbly. She glanced at the motionless blonde.

"What's going on, Mum?" She muttered, wishing that the woman could answer her.


	77. Chapter 77

Katy received her answer more quickly than she would have liked and in a way that she definitely wished she could change. The first she knew of her grandmother's arrest was when Roxy burst into the hospital room a day later and blurted it out dramatically.

From then on, the young woman found that she was able to spend less and less time at the hospital with her mother as there were too many other demands on her time. Everyone was rallying around trying to support Dot and convince her to stop being so stubborn, but the old woman was having none of it. She stuck to her belief that she had killed her son and needed to be punished for it. During one visit, Katy grew so frustrated with her refusal to change her mind that she burst into furious tears in the middle of the visiting room. At first Sharon, who had accompanied the younger Mitchell, thought that Dot might be tempted to relent as her expression shifted dramatically. But then she simply patted Katy's hand and told her that she'd get over it.

Spending less time at the hospital also meant that Katy was able to spend more time with her daughters. She couldn't believe how she had neglected them so badly over the past few months and guilt surged through her every time she looked at them. She felt terrible; like the worst mother going.

Strangely, it was someone completely unexpected who comforted her and reminded her that she was doing her best in a terrible situation.

Katy found herself sitting on one of the picnic tables in the park, surrounded by a pram, a pushchair and a double buggy, staring miserably over to where Ineta, Janet, Amy and Ruby were playing together on the grass. It was an unusually warm afternoon at the end of the Easter holidays and the girls had been bouncing off the walls with boredom being kept inside. With everyone else having to work, the entirety of childcare for the younger Mitchells had been left to Katy.

Her cousin had just bounded over begging to be allowed an ice cream from the kiosk, causing Katy to rummage through her purse and hand over a twenty pound note with a sigh, when a voice from behind her asked whether she minded if they sat down. Raising a hand to shield her eyes from the dun, Katy shook her head and motioned for Shabnam to take a seat.

For a moment or two, they just sat in silence. Then the older girl spoke. "That's a lot of children."

Katy chuckled. "It sure is." She rocked her baby brother's pram gently. "Poor Matthew is totally outnumbered by all these girls."

"How are things? You know, with… everything…" The Mitchell raised an eyebrow, clearly wondering whether Shabnam was merely after gossip about her family. Sensing her distrust, Shabnam held up her hands quickly. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. I just thought maybe you could do with having someone to listen."

Katy sent her a tight smile. "It's hard, you know…"

"I can imagine. You must be worried about your mum."

"Yeah, course." She replied quickly. "But it's more than that… it's…"

"What?" Shabnam prompted when the younger girl trailed off, staring at the children playing.

"I'm so guilty for pretty much abandoning my children. I've got three kids and I just… I left them with Roxy and anyone else who'd watch them. I'm so selfish. I didn't even think about what they might want. I wanted my mum… I didn't even stop to realise they might want theirs…"

"I'm sure they–"

"Then there's Roxy. Mum's her sister… she wanted to see her too, but I just left her to look after all the kids without even offering to help. It's no wonder she–"

"She what?"

Katy shook her head, not intending to let her suspicions about what she'd seen developing between her aunt and stepfather cross her lips. "Nothing. She just gets frustrated a lot. I don't blame her; she's keeping this family together on her own."

"How old are you?" Shabnam asked bluntly, taking the girl by surprise.

"Twenty-one."

"You're only twenty-one years old and you've got three, beautiful daughters. You're a smart, successful businesswoman – don't deny it because I know you ran the R&R single-handed for a while. You love your family and they love you. I barely know you and yet I know you would do anything for the people you care about. Your daughters are lucky to have you."

"But they haven't had me, that's my point."

"Katy… you're here now. The situation you were in, are in, was difficult. But you're making up for it now. Look at them." She pointed towards the girls chasing each other over the grass, before motioning towards the double buggy beside them. "Does it look like they're suffering? Has anything terrible happened because you put your mum first?"

"No…" The Mitchell admitted grudgingly. "But–"

"If you're about to say you don't know what to do or that you don't think you're doing things right, then don't. No one knows what they're doing, Katy. People much older than you are still trying to work out what they're supposed to be doing. Everyone just… wanders around… trying to work out how to be the best they can be. You have nothing to beat yourself up for."

Katy was about to open her mouth to respond when Ruby came flying across the grass and launched herself at her mother. The young woman smiled brightly, hugging her daughter tightly and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Shabnam smiled and wordlessly stood to leave, waving at the little girl as she went.

"Can we go home now?" Ruby asked with a sigh. "I'm tired."

"Tired?" Katy laughed. "We've only been out about an hour."

"I'm tired too." Ineta agreed, flopping down on the bench beside the older girl.

"You youngsters have no stamina."

Shaking her head, she gathered up all the children and their possessions. It was a complicated process taking the crowd of children anywhere. Ienta led the way out of the park, pushing Matthew's pram carefully in front of her. Amy and Janet followed, squabbling as they pushed Lexi in her pram, while Katy brought up the rear with Amy at her side holding onto the double buggy tightly.

When they eventually made it back to the house Katy realised, with a frown, that Carol was standing on the doorstep. Letting the girls into the house, the young woman settled the younger children in the living room before moving through into the kitchen with her step-aunt and putting the kettle on.

"What's wrong?" She asked eventually, when it became clear that Carol wasn't about to tell her the reason for her visit any time soon.

"My dad's dead." She blurted, almost before the question had left Katy's lips.

"Oh…" Katy frowned lightly. "I'm sorry… are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"How's everyone else? How's Grandma?"

"I haven't told her yet." Carol admitted, sitting heavily in a chair at the kitchen table. "I… I can't face it…"

Katy was struggling to work out exactly what Carol might want from her. She might see Dot as her grandmother, but she barely knew Jim. From what she did know of him from things Jack had told her, she wasn't entirely sure whether they would have got on particularly well.

"Do you want me to come with you to see Dot?" She settled on at last, setting a mug of tea in front of her aunt. "Or tell her for you?"

"No, I… I'm going later…"

Still at a loss, Katy decided to let Carol tell her why she was there instead of trying to second-guess her. They sat in silence for a while, until the older woman finally spoke.

"How did you feel when you found out Archie was dead?"

"Huh?" Katy furrowed her eyebrows.

"I mean… your grandfather was a bully and… were you upset that he had died?"

"I… I don't know. Not really." She admitted with a shrug. "But I didn't know him. He died before I came to Walford. Maybe if I had met him it would have been different, but he was nothing to me." She paused. "Why?"

"Because I should be upset that Dad's dead… but I'm not." Carol admitted quietly. "He was a bully and a racist and I hated him… everyone round here saw the good side and that's all they remember. I remember the bad parts and I just can't…"

"It's OK." Katy reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "It's OK."


	78. Chapter 78

With Ineta and Amy back at school and Ruby back in nursery, Monday seemed much easier to deal with. Aleks had done the school run, leaving Katy to change and feed Jessica and Sophie at a leisurely pace. She had just strapped Sophie into her bouncer in the living room, beside her sister, when her mobile started to vibrate. Fishing it out of her back pocket, she clamped it between her shoulder and her ear so that she could juggle bottles and reload the steriliser at the same time.

"Aleks just called." Roxy announced, much to her niece's confusion.

"And…"

"He forgot about Ineta's birthday party today."

"You're kidding?" Katy pressed the button on the machine in front of her and turned to lean against the counter as it started working. "How? She's been going on about it for days."

"I know, I know." Roxy agreed with a sigh. "Look, I'm gonna grab some food and things and Aleks is going to rent a karaoke machine. Can you help me when I get back?"

"Course." The brunette assured her at once. She glanced towards the front door as a loud tapping on it made her jump. "There's someone at the door. Gimme a text when you're on your way home."

"Thanks, babe."

Hanging up, the young woman twisted the latch and frowned at the sight of her stepfather on the doorstep. "Charlie? What's up?"

"Can you watch Matthew for a bit?"

"What's wrong? Is it mum? Has something happened?"

He shook his head vehemently. "No, no. Ronnie's fine. I've just got somewhere I need to be."

With a sigh, Katy allowed him to wheel her brother's pram into the hallway. He sent her a fleeting smile before turning and jogging away from the house. Narrowing her eyes in confusion, the young woman gently lifted Matthew into her arms and wandered into the kitchen, glad she'd just put a new load of bottles to be sterilised.

x-x

Halfway through Ineta's birthday party, Katy had made an excuse and slipped away with the twins and Ruby to visit her mother at the hospital. She couldn't cope with hearing _Shake It Off_ or _Uptown Funk_ on the karaoke machine once more. She was sure she'd seen Charlie walking quickly towards the house as she crossed the Square, but didn't wait around to find out whether it was him or not.

Pressing a kiss to her mother's forehead, Katy settled herself in the chair beside Ronnie's bed and lifted Ruby onto her lap. Thankfully, the seven-month-old twins had fallen asleep on the journey over. Katy hadn't taken all three of her daughters to visit their grandmother at the same time before and she wasn't sure whether it would be too much for Ronnie to handle.

Ruby was delighted to see her grandmother awake and pushed a picture, which she had demanded they take with them, under her nose. Katy gently moved it away slightly, but allowed her daughter to excitedly explain what she had drawn, pointing to each of the blobby figures in turn and asking Ronnie to guess who they were. The blonde valiantly attempted to acquiesce to her granddaughter's wishes, but Katy could see that it was difficult for her.

"Come on, sweetie, let Grandma have a break now." She suggested after watching her mother for a couple of moments. "She's tired, remember."

Ruby pouted. "But she was sleeping for a long time."

"I know… but she was asleep so long that it makes her very tired when she's awake now."

"Like 'rora?" The three-year-old asked, tilting her head thoughtfully to one side.

"Exactly like Aurora." Her mother agreed with a smile. "Your Grandma is the real life Sleeping Beauty."

Ruby's eyes widened as she stared at Ronnie. A weak smile twisted the blonde's lips as she regarded the toddler's expression. She continued to watch as the little girl gave a sharp nod, before rummaging in the bag her mother had slung over the handles of the double buggy and pulled out a book and some colouring pens. Settling herself on the floor, Ruby engrossed herself in her colouring.

"How are you feeling?" Katy asked gently, drawing her mother's attention back to her.

"I'm OK." Ronnie rasped out weakly.

"Really?" Her daughter arched an eyebrow.

The blonde smiled a little more convincingly and attempted to raise a hand to Katy's cheek. When she realised she wasn't strong enough, her face fell. Seeing the expression, Katy grasped her hand and held it against her face, pressing a kiss to the palm. They sat in silence for a moment, but then Katy sighed and started talking about Ineta's birthday party, filling her mother in on the latest gossip from the Square.

It was only when a nurse poked her head into the room that Katy realised how late it was. Glancing down, she saw Ruby attempting to stifle a yawn and decided that it was past her bedtime anyway. Katy bundled a reluctant Ruby into her coat and stuffed her colouring things back into her bag. Lifting the toddler so that she could kiss her grandmother goodbye, the brunette pressed a kiss to her hair before wheeling the buggy out of the room and along the corridors.

It was a relief that Ronnie seemed to be making so much progress, but she just couldn't wait until Ronnie made enough progress to come home. She wanted her mother at home, not in some hospital bed where she could only visit when the doctors and nurses said it was allowed.

Halfway back to the Square, Katy's mobile started to ring. Shifting the now sleeping Ruby slightly on her lap, the young woman ignored the scowls two old ladies in the seat opposite were sending her and slid the bar across to accept Roxy's call.

"Rox?"

"Ronnie's talking."

"I know." The young woman told her. "I was just at the hospital."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"Sorry… I figured you'd go and visit her later and I'm on my way back now, anyway. I was going to tell you when I got in."

"Right…" Roxy sounded irritated and Katy rolled her eyes. "Well, the hospital just phoned to let me know. They said she was asking for me. Any idea why?"

"I dunno… maybe she just wants to see her sister?" Katy suggested, almost sarcastically. "Why? What other reason would she have?"

"Nothing. I don't know!"

Shaking her head, the brunette leant back in her seat, rolling the double buggy backwards and forwards with her foot and rocking Ruby gently on her lap. "It's a good thing she's talking, Rox. Why do you sound so worried about it? Mum's making progress."

"I know, I know." Roxy agreed hurriedly. "Look, I'm almost at the hospital. Aleks is watching Amy and Ineta, but he said he'd come and pick me up so I don't have to get a taxi back. Can you watch the girls?"

"Course."

"Thank you."

Wriggling to push her mobile back into her jeans, the young woman wrapped her arms around her eldest daughter once more, resting her chin against the top of Ruby's head and furrowed her eyebrows as she thought deeply. There was something going on that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Roxy was too jumpy to not be up to something.


	79. Chapter 79

_**A/N: I'm sorry. I really am. All I can say is if you want a life where you have time to do things like write or have a social life, don't consider teaching... :/**_

_**x**_

* * *

><p>Sipping from the plastic cup of coffee that she'd just been handed by her aunt, Katy winced. It still tasted as disgusting as the first cup she'd had after Ronnie had been taken into hospital months ago. Glancing towards the window that led out into the corridor, Katy spotted Charlie speaking to her mother's doctor. Frowning lightly, the young woman placed her cup on the table and slipped through the door.<p>

"_But that's really good. It's an encouraging sign._" The doctor was saying as Katy glanced between her and Charlie. "_But it's not always as straight forward as that. She will struggle to form sentences for a while. The trauma to her brain means she might get confused at times._"

"_Is everything alright?_" Roxy asked, making her niece jump as she joined them and placed a hand on Katy's waist.

"_Yeah… she's just saying we shouldn't get our hopes up._" Charlie muttered.

"_What?_"

"But that's–"

"_No, I'm not saying that exactly._" The doctor assured them quickly. "_I'm just saying it's a long road._"

"_Yeah, but she's doing so well. She's talking…_"

"_It's excellent… who knew we'd be here this time last week?_"

"_Exactly…_"

"So… she's going in the right direction?" Katy asked, folding her arms and pleading for clarification.

The doctor smiled and reached forward, letting her hand rest on the young woman's arm and squeezing it reassuringly. "She's definitely heading in the right direction."

With another smile, the woman turned and headed away along the corridor, leaving the trio standing outside Ronnie's room. All three of them looked through the window, watching the blonde lying in her hospital bed and staring straight ahead of her.

Roxy shook her head. "_You don't want her to get better?_"

Katy whirled around and scowled at her aunt. Then she realised that the question had been directed at Charlie and turned her frown on him instead. He looked back at her quickly, before glancing away.

"Are you kidding me?" The brunette demanded angrily. "You don't want Mum to get better?"

"_Of course I do!_"

"_You've got to be a bit more positive, Charlie._"

"_I just don't know where I'm at, anymore._" He sighed deeply. "_I mean, every day there's something different. I'm scared of my phone ringing every time I come here... what I'm going to see and what I'm going to hear._"

"_I know, I know…_" Roxy agreed soothingly. "_I was the same, OK. That's over now… which is why we've…_" There was a long pause. Katy looked between them curiously, but neither spared her a glance. "_You're getting your wife back._"

Through the window, Katy spotted her mother's eyes opening and Ronnie looking around, clearly confused. Forgetting all about the strange half-conversation that seemed to be going on around her, she pushed through the door and settled herself beside Ronnie's bed. The blonde smiled at her, taking her hand and visibly relaxing.

It was a while before Roxy and Charlie re-entered the room. Katy wasn't sure how long, exactly, but not long after they returned, the door opened again and Sharon and Phil walked in with Matthew in his pram and the twins in their buggy.

"_Knows his mummy._" Sharon said as Ronnie smiled and played with Matthew's fingers while Roxy cradled him in her arms.

They talked for a while and then everyone started to leave. Katy was the last to go, rejecting the offer of a lift from her aunt that she'd catch the bus instead so that she could stay for an extra ten minutes before visiting time ended.

Ronnie said nothing for a while, letting her daughter ramble on. A nurse poked her head around the door and announced that the doctor would be coming in a couple of minutes to check Ronnie, so Katy had better leave. With a sigh, the younger Mitchell climbed to her feet and picked up her bag ready to go.

"Wait."

"What's up?" Katy asked, not looking up as she rummaged in her bag for her purse.

"Katy… I've spoken to Aunty Peg and she's gonna send you and the girls tickets to go and stay with her for a while."

That caught her daughter's attention and she looked up sharply, narrowing her eyes. "What?"

"I want you to take Ruby, Soph and Jess and stay with Aunty Peg. Your flight leaves tonight."

"Why? What's going on?"

"Nothing. Aunty Peg hasn't met the twins yet and she was saying that she'd really love to. You've had a tough time with me being in here and everything… you deserve a break."

Katy shook her head. "No… no, that's not it. Something's happened."

"Nothing's happened. Can't you just trust me?"

"No, because you're being suspicious." Grabbing the card that was lying on the bedside cabinet, Katy stared at it agitatedly. "It's got something to do with this, hasn't it? Who sent it?"

"Just someone from Ibiza. It's not important. I just think–"

"I can't go, anyway. It's Jim's funeral tomorrow and Grandma would want me to be there."

"This isn't up for discussion, Katy. Phil's going to drive you to the airport, so you'd better go and pack. I'll see you when you get back."

Narrowing her eyes, the brunette snatched her bag off the chair beside her mother's bed and stormed out of the room, not saying anything as she went. The door slammed behind her and she stood, clenching her fists in the corridor and wondering what on earth was going on.

Heading back to the Square, Katy had absolutely no intention of doing as she was told and going to Spain. As it turned out, however, she had no choice in the matter. By the time she returned to the house, Roxy had packed some bags and the trio of little girls were already loaded into Phil's car.

"I'm not going anywhere." Katy informed him defiantly, folding her arms across her chest and scowling at him.

Her step-uncle jerked his shoulders in a shrug. "You are."

"Phil, you and mum can't just–"

"Get in the car. This ain't up for discussion."

With a furious growl, the young woman reluctantly did as she was ordered, knowing that there was no chance she would win this one and, if she didn't climb into the car herself, it was highly likely Phil would manhandle her in and lock the doors.


	80. Chapter 80

Katy marched up and down the marble lobby of her step-grandmother's Spanish villa. She and her daughters had been at Peggy's for three days and the young woman was itching to return to Walford. If she had the money, she would have rebooked the return tickets already. As it was, however, she was forced to wait another week and a half until the tickets her mother had booked were valid. Peggy was refusing to pay for the tickets and Katy knew that it was pointless asking anyone back in London to help her.

"Will you stop pacing?" Peggy demanded, looking up from where she was handing Ruby her dolls when she was prompted to do so by the three-year-old. "You might as well just accept that you're here and enjoy your holiday."

"How am I supposed to enjoy my holiday?" Katy snapped. "There is obviously something going on and Ronnie is treating me like an absolute child by making me come here when–"

"If you don't want your mum to treat you like a child then stop acting like one."

"What?"

Sighing and climbing to her feet, Peggy sighed. "Listen darlin'… Ronnie might be a lot of things, but she's a good mum. She loves you and she would do anything to protect you. If, and I mean if, there is something going on, then she must think keeping you out of it is best."

"That's not the point."

"Then what is?"

"The point is, completely against my wishes she has sent me here when there is so much going on at home. Dot is in prison. I've already missed Jim's funeral… how do you think that will have made her feel? She probably thinks that I didn't care enough to stick around and support her."

"You and I both know that Dot would never think that." Peggy jumped in quickly, raising her hand dismissively.

"Really? Dot who is refusing to change her plea because she thinks she deserves to be punished for Nick's death." Katy snapped back, folding her arms across her chest.

"Listen to me, darlin'." The older woman grasped Katy's upper arms tightly. "I know that you're worried about Dot. Roxy said that the funeral went as well as could be expected," Peggy held back what had actually happened at the Crematorium, "they're hoping she'll consider changing her plea. They're still working on her, but the fact that she went to the funeral is a good sign that she's coming round."

"Aunty Peg–"

"If you're about to complain to me about Ronnie then save it."

"But I–"

"You don't know that there's anything going on other than her wanting to save you the upset of what's going on with Dot."

"Seriously?" Katy stared at her incredulously. "Do you know my mother at all?"

"Katy."

"No! After everything… after everything she still doesn't trust me."

"Everything? Carl White?"

Katy's eyes widened comically and she whirled around to stare at her step-grandmother with undeniable alarm. "What?"

Peggy waved a hand in her direction. "I know all about Carl White. I know everything that goes on in this family."

"Listen, Peg… I don't–"

"Give it a few days." Peggy advised, her words sounding more like an order. "Try and forget about everything; treat this as a holiday. If you still want to go back in a week or so, I'll pay for your ticket myself, OK?"

Katy hesitated. Then she nodded. "OK. I'll give it a few days."

x-x

"Mumma?"

Katy glanced up from the magazine she was flicking through at the sound of her elder daughter's voice. She smiled and lifted her sunglasses to rest on the top of her head, holding her arms open so that Ruby could climb into her lap.

"What's up, kiddo?"

"Can we go has ice lolly?"

"Maybe later, I've just got your sisters off to sleep."

"OK." Ruby nodded her head seriously. "When we go home?"

"In a couple more days." Katy told her with a smile. "Aren't you enjoying your holiday?"

"Yeah… but I wanna see Gandma and Aunty Woxy."

"Not Amy or baby Matthew?"

"No."

Her mother laughed. "Why?"

Ruby shrugged. "Just 'cause."

"Did Amy say something to you?"

"No."

"Baby?"

"She sayed that I has to go school soon and it will be scawy."

Katy laughed softly. "Listen, kiddo. You will have to go to school soon, but it won't be scary, I promise. And, if it is, you just tell me and I'll sort it, OK? I'm way scarier than any school."

"When I has to go?"

"Well… In September… more than four months." Seeing that her daughter had no concept of how long that was, she sighed. "It's a long time, sweetheart, OK?"

"We be here then?"

Katy shook her head. "No, baby, we'll be at home."

"I go same school as Amy?"

"Uh-huh." Her mother agreed. "She'll look after you."

"But she…"

"She'll look after you." Katy repeated firmly. "Or I'll be speaking to her."

Apparently satisfied with that promise, Ruby wiggled until her mother let her go and skipped off in search of her great-grandmother. Peggy was a pushover when it came to the little girl and Katy was under no illusions that Ruby would be working on her to take her for ice cream.

It had been a week since the conversation the two Mitchell women had had and Katy was just as determined as ever to return to Walford. She hadn't spoken to her mother since she'd left London and she hadn't had any meaningful conversations with Roxy; merely being filled in on what had been going on around Albert Square.

"Katy?" Peggy appeared though the patio doors and regarded the young woman carefully. "I'm taking Ruby for ice cream." There was a pause and then she leant forward and placed something on the table. "Tickets… you can go if you want to."

"Thank you, Aunty Peg." Katy replied with genuine gratitude. "Thank you for having us. Really. I just need to work out what's going on with Mum. I know there's something and I just… she's hiding something from me and I'm worried about her."

"I understand."

"No… it's more than… she's vulnerable and I need to be there for her, whether she wants me to be or not."

"I do understand." Peggy assured her, squeezing Katy's hand. "You're a Mitchell. We're family; it's what we do."

"Thank you."

Peggy nodded and turned to head back into her villa. "Your flight leaves tomorrow at one."


	81. Chapter 81

Katy hadn't told anyone she and her daughters were heading home earlier than expected and had asked Peggy to keep it quiet as well. As soon as their flight touched down in Gatwick, the young woman was bundling the girls out of the airport and into a taxi. She almost bounced with nervous energy for the whole drive back to Albert Square, throwing money at the driver as soon as they arrived.

"Ruby, you've gotta be a good girl for Mummy, OK? I need you to go round to Aunty Whitney's while I go and sort something out."

The little girl frowned and began to complain, but Katy tuned her out, she rang the doorbell on the front of Carol's house and waited for someone to answer the door. Liam stared at her in slight confusion for a moment, before informing her that Whitney was out and no one else was around. Thinking better of leaving her daughters with the teenage boy, Katy re-evaluated the situation.

"Where we go now?"

"Aunty Whitney's not at home, baby, so we're going to find…" glancing around for inspiration, Katy's eyes fell on someone heading down Bridge Street holding a takeaway cup from the café, "Jane."

"Why?"

"Because Mummy has to go and sort something, like I told you."

They traipsed into the café, just in time to see Jane hanging up her apron and waving to Marie. Katy smiled brightly at her, earning herself a suspicious glare from the older woman. After a bit of convincing, some begging and finally the offer to work a shift if Jane needed some time off, Katy kissed the foreheads of each of her daughters and headed home to drop off their suitcases and change into something appropriate for court.

By the time she arrived at the courthouse, the trial was already underway. Slipping into the room, Katy was greeted with several pairs of accusing eyes, all of which shifted dramatically to varying degrees of confusion as they realised who had disturbed the moment. Holding up her hands towards the judge, as a silent apology for causing a slight commotion, Katy moved along the back row of the gallery, shooting Charlie a look until he moved up and she could sit between him and her mother.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ronnie hissed out of the corner of her mouth.

"You actually thought I'd miss this?" Katy muttered back.

"You're supposed to be in Spain."

"You're supposed to be in hospital."

They glared at each other for a moment, before Charlie leant across his stepdaughter to touch his wife lightly on the arm. "Alright?"

"Don't touch me." Katy scowled at him, folding her arms and causing him to look at her in bewilderment.

Ronnie frowned between them, before nodding and smiling lightly. "Well you're just in time. We've only just been called back in. Apparently they've got a verdict."

Katy sighed deeply and bit her lip as they all turned back to face the Judge, who had just nodded at the clerk before looking at the gathered audience with a grave expression.

"_Would the foreman of the jury please stand?_ _Would you please confine yourself to answering my next question yes or no?_" He asked the foreman. "_With regard to the charge of murder, have the members of the jury reached a verdict upon which you are all agreed?_"

"_Yes._"

"_Do you find the defendant guilty, or not guilty, of murder?_"

"_Not guilty._"

There was a roar of cheering and applause from Dot's family who were gathered. Katy beamed, clenching her hands into fists and turning to grin at her mother who looked similarly relieved by the verdict. Reaching past his stepdaughter, Charlie pressed a kiss to Ronnie's cheek, smiling broadly at her. The younger Mitchell simply rolled her eyes and looked to the Judge, who was attempting to call for quiet.

"_Before we continue, I'd like to remind the court of the need for order._" He said grumpily.

As the assembled Mitchells and Brannings forced themselves to quieten down, the clerk turned back to the foreman of the jury to continue with the verdict.

"_With regard to the charge of manslaughter, have the members of the jury reached a verdict upon which you are all agreed?_"

"_Yes._"

"_Do you find the defendant guilty or, not guilty, of manslaughter?_"

"_Guilty._"

"What?" Katy demanded, leaning forward in her seat and scowling at the man. Around her she could hear her sentiments being echoed by everyone else. "You're kidding?"

"_I'll not remind you again._" The judge warned.

Katy narrowed her eyes even more. "This is bullshit."

"_I'm going to adjourn the court for a short time and then I'll continue to sentencing._"

"_All rise._" The clerk demanded.

Reluctantly everyone, apart from Ronnie, got to their feet. The blonde shot her daughter a sharp look and jabbed her in the side to force Katy to stand too. Once the Judge had left the court room, Katy dropped back into her chair.

"That is bullshit. What the fuck?"

"Katy… stop." Ronnie warned her.

"No! It's a fucking joke!"

"_I can't believe this is happening._" Charlie muttered.

"_This ain't right, man._" Fatboy agreed, shaking his head.

Abi looked confused. "_They said not guilty to murder…_"

"_I mean, they've already said that she didn't mean to harm him._" Ian said.

Katy thumped the back of the seat irritably. "It's messed up."

They all turned as Ritchie and her junior re-entered the courtroom. Charlie was the first to start questioning them.

"_What happens now?_"

"_Somebody should talk to that jury, that's what!_" Fatboy exploded, voicing the thoughts going round in Katy's head.

She nodded and followed the group across the courtroom. "I'll happily do it. I'll tell them exactly what–"

"Shut up!" Roxy snapped at her. "That's not gonna help."

"_She's going to get sentenced, right?_" Charlie ignored them, still questioning the lawyers. "_That's what the judge said._"

"_Normally he'd ask for reports, then bring her back in._"

"_Well… could he give her a suspended sentence? I mean… you said yourself, look how old she is._"

"_Yeah… she's served time already._"

"_He could."_ Ritchie agreed, although she didn't seem particularly convinced herself.

"_But what?_" Max demanded.

"_Look, the truth is, we don't know_." The younger lawyer admitted, causing everyone to frown at him. "_The case hasn't progressed as we expected…_"

"_But it is possible?_"

"_If that's what he wants to do there's nothing stopping him, is there?_" Max snapped.

"_Let's find out, shall we? The judge is coming back._"

"_But Sharon's not back yet._"

"_Well he's not going to wait for her._"

"I swear to god if he sends her to prison…" Katy muttered, dropping back down into her seat.

Roxy sent her a look. "What? What are you gonna do?"

"I'll think of something." The younger woman retorted childishly, folding her arms over her chest and scowling.

Her aunt shook her head and turned her attention to the Judge who had just taken his seat once more. They all settled down quickly wanting to hear what he had decided, each of them silently hoping that the man would be lenient.

"_This is a far from simple case,_" The Judge started in the same grave tone he had been employing, "_which makes for certain… difficulties when one is determining a sentence. Mrs Branning is an elderly lady who has already suffered considerable emotional distress. She has lost her only son. There is also evidence that Mrs Branning's son, a confirmed – indeed self-confessed – drug addict, was manipulating her quite cruelly in the last few months of his life._"

"I wish I'd killed him myself." Katy muttered darkly.

Ronnie frowned at her. "Shh!"

"Well I do…"

"_But, Mrs Branning is not without blame either._" The Judge continued, either not having heard the words or choosing to ignore them. "_She could have sought help for her son, despite all the pressure he brought to bear on her to do the opposite. Had she informed the authorities, then her son could have been given the help he so quite clearly needed._"

"He knows nothing!" Katy muttered, louder than she'd intended. Her voice clearly carried across the court as most of the jury members and the officials all turned to look at her. "What does he know about real people and their lives? As if anyone would have–"

"Shut up!" Ronnie hissed.

"This is your last warning, young lady." The Judge informed her. "Next time I will ask you to leave." He fixed her with a stern glare and Katy bit her lips together, sending him a sarcastic smile. "_Mrs Branning… I have… taken into consideration your mitigation and all the reports on you._" He paused. "_I sentence you… to fourteen months imprisonment._"


	82. Chapter 82

Katy couldn't even function well enough to let out the stream of expletives that were rolling around in her brain. She stared blankly ahead of her as the Judge continued talking and then Dot was lead away. Everyone else was in similar states of shock, making their way down to the floor to speak to Ritchie and her junior.

"_I need to see her._" Charlie demanded weakly, clearly still not having processed everything properly. "_I've got to talk to her… make sure she's OK._"

"Fucking idiot…" Katy muttered, shaking her head at his words.

Roxy seemed to share her niece's sentiments. "_Charlie, she's just been convicted…_"

"_So?_"

"_So you'll need a visiting order now_."

"_No, not if the Governor agrees to a visit and not if Charlie gets there today._" Ronnie pointed out quickly.

"It's not guaranteed, though, is it?" Katy reminded her. "He'll have to convinced them it's a good idea."

"_It's possible, I suppose._" Ritchie agreed, nodding at the brunette Mitchell and then at her mother.

Katy narrowed her eyes as Ronnie's mobile started ringing and the blonde stared at the screen. Her eyes widened, hardly noticeably, but enough to catch her daughter's attention and raise her suspicions. Barely glancing up as she demanded that Ritchie look into Charlie's request to visit his grandmother, Ronnie moved away and answered the call.

Straining her ears, Katy was unable to make out what she was saying. Her aunt tugged on her arm, dragging her back into the conversation with the lawyers. Ritchie, on Roxy's orders, started lecturing the younger Mitchell about her behaviour in court. She tried to make Katy see that being thrown out, or worse, for contempt was not something that she should treat as a joke.

"Whatever…" Katy muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Start taking things seriously." Roxy muttered, pulling her away, clearly embarrassed.

"Are you kidding me?"

"Katy… you should keep your head down, not start drawing attention to yourself!" The blonde told her. "Ronnie's been in prison… Phil, Ben, now Dot?" She shook her head, still unable to get her head around it. "Do you want to be next?"

The brunette snorted. "What? You gonna run to the cops and turn me in, Aunty Roxanne?"

"Of course not." Roxy exhaled sharply. "Just… stop acting like a child."

Rolling her eyes, Katy turned and walked away, re-joining the group. She shot her mother a curious look, narrowing her eyes as Ronnie avoided looking at her. Determined to get to the bottom of what was going on, Katy overruled everyone else who offered to accompany Ronnie back to hospital, pointing out that they had other things to do, while she was completely free seeing as Jane was watching her children.

Ronnie scowled as her daughter wheeled her out of court and helped her into a waiting taxi. As soon as the driver had pulled away, Katy turned on her mother and folded her arms.

"OK, spill. I know there's something going on and I am not going to let you hide things from me."

"Katy… it's nothing."

"Mum… shut up." Katy snapped. "I will ask Phil what's going on if you don't tell me. I am under no illusions that he knows what all this is about and he will tell me."

"He won't." Ronnie replied petulantly.

"Oh, he will."

There was a standoff for a couple of minutes, with both Mitchells reluctant to back down. They stared at each other silently until they rounded a corner and the taxi pulled into the hospital car park. Ronnie growled and nodded sharply, opening the car door and telling the driver that her daughter would pay.

Grinning, Katy handed him some notes, before lifting Ronnie's wheelchair out of the back and helping her mother into it. The blonde sulked the whole way back through the hospital until her daughter opened the door to her private room and pushed her inside. She refused to speak until she was settled in her bed and had had a drink.

"I… Just… Call Phil."

Katy frowned. "I thought you were going to tell me what's going on?"

"I will. Just call Phil. I need to speak to him."

"About… whatever's going on with you?"

Ronnie sighed. "Yes, OK."

"Alright." Katy pulled out her mobile and made the call, telling Phil that he needed to get there soon because her mother was freaking out. Ronnie rolled her eyes, but the young woman just shrugged. As soon as she hung up, she settled herself in the chair beside the bed. "So… tell me."

"There's this guy–"

"Isn't there always?"

Ronnie frowned. "Just listen. There's this guy. I met him a while back… he helped me look for Roxy when… when she was AWOL one time. I liked him but… things didn't work out." Katy guessed that she was getting an abbreviated version of events, but didn't complain; at least her mother was telling her what was happening. "I went to him for that gun… but… that was it."

"So what's going on now? Why did you send me to Spain?"

"Vincent's back. He… he knows about Carl White."

Katy's eyebrows shot up. "What?"

"He… I don't know how… he called me… but it said the call was from Carl's mobile."

"Just now? That was… in the courtroom? He…" The young woman leapt to her feet and started pacing the floor, rubbing her temples as she thought carefully. "OK… what, exactly, does he know?"

"He knows I killed him… I don't know how…"

"You didn't kill him." Katy reminded her. "We killed him."

"Baby…"

The brunette held up her hands. "Not important right now, Mum. What's Phil got to do with all this?"

"I asked him for help dealing with Vincent… apparently whatever he did has just made the situation worse."

Katy nodded slowly. "Right…"

Both women's eyes shot towards the door as it was unceremoniously opened and someone walked inside. Immediately they both started questioning Phil, who held up his hands to stem the flow of chatter.

"_What the hell have you done?_" Ronnie demanded. "_Vincent's called me pretending to be Carl. He must've got hold of my phone somehow._" Seeing that her stepbrother was glancing in the younger woman's direction, Ronnie shook her head. "Katy knows. I told her. _He says he knows, Phil? How?_"

"_I don't know._" The man shrugged.

"_Well, you haven't said anything?_"

"_Of course I haven't._" Phil defended himself instantly, looking offended at the suggestion. "_He must've worked it out, but he's got no evidence. He's got no proof._"

"_So what happened? I thought you were supposed to be sorting it?_"

"_Sorting out your mess, you mean. He might prove a bit more difficult than we thought._"

Ronnie narrowed her eyes challengingly. "_What? Something that you can't handle?_"

"_I've just gotta do a bit of extra thinking, that's all._"

"_Really? Well you need to do it a lot more quickly and in the meantime, you need to keep an eye on Charlie and the rest of the family._"

"_Because?_"

"_Because he said he's going to._"

Phil frowned. "_Meaning?_"

"_Meaning? I don't know meaning. I don't know what he's going to do. There's… there's just something about him._"

"_Takes one to know him, don't it?_"

"_He rattled you, didn't he?_" Ronnie snapped back.

"_He's a chancer… nothing I ain't handled before._"

"_Back in the day, yeah?_"

Phil exhaled deeply at her comment. Katy raised her eyebrows, the tension filling the room making her uncomfortable. Sensing that they were either about to end the conversation or break into an argument, she stepped forward.

"So, this Vincent guy… what do we know about him? What can we use?"

"No, Katy." Phil told her firmly, pointing his finger at her.

"Absolutely not." Ronnie exclaimed at the same moment.

"What?" The brunette demanded, looking between them.

"There's no way you're getting involved with him." Her step-uncle informed her firmly. "We'll sort this."

She rolled her eyes. "Right, because I'm not capable of dealing with anything like this… it's not like I sorted my problem with Nathan or dealt with Carl White, is it?"

"Exactly." Ronnie told her with a frown. "That's why you're staying well out of this."


	83. Chapter 83

"You can't just tell me that some guy is coming after us and then expect me not to do anything about it?" Katy looked between her mother and Phil in disbelief. "What if he comes after the kids?"

"He won't, alright?" Phil assured her gruffly.

"You can promise that?"

"He won't." The man repeated, heading for the door without waiting to hear anything more.

There was a long pause after Phil walked out of the room and closed the door firmly behind him. Ronnie was staring at her daughter, but Katy was pointedly ignoring her gaze. After receiving absolutely no response from the young woman, the blonde sighed loudly.

"What's your problem with Charlie?"

"Nothing."

Ronnie rolled her eyes. "Don't give me that. I thought you were over the whole jealousy thing? I thought you'd decided to try and get on with him."

"I am."

"Katherine…"

"I just… I don't trust him, OK?" Katy snapped, folding her arms across her chest. "He's just another guy who's come along and wormed his way in. He's just another Nathan or Jack or Carl or Aleks… he's just another guy who's going to hurt you and then he'll leave. It's the same story every single time."

"Charlie's–"

Katy snorted. "Don't tell me he's different. Don't even try it, Mum."

"You don't know anything, Katy." Ronnie snapped at her, her eyes narrowing.

"Don't I?"

There was a pause while they both looked at each other, trying to work out what was going on in the other's mind. Ronnie cracked first, her face softening and an expression of understanding appearing in her eyes.

"Do you… do you know about Charlie and Roxy?"

"What?" Katy demanded, taking several steps closer to the bed. "Charlie and Roxy?"

Ronnie squeezed her eyes closed, realising that her daughter hadn't known about the affair. "Roxy told me about it. It's over. It–"

"You have got to be kidding me." The brunette turned away from her mother, wrapping her arms around herself and shaking her head. "I can't believe you. I can't believe Roxy." She turned back. "Is that why Aleks left?"

Her mother shrugged. "I think so. Partly, maybe."

"And you… you're OK with this? You're OK with your husband cheating on you with your sister? You're OK with Roxy betraying you… again?"

"Katy!" Ronnie reached out and grasped her daughter's wrist tightly. "Listen to me, baby. I've forgiven Roxy… mostly. I told her I didn't want her to tell Charlie I know."

Katy wrenched her arm away from the blonde. "What's wrong with you? You're going to let them get away with it?"

"Roxy is my sister, Katy. She's my best friend. And Charlie… he's a good guy. Please…"

"Please what?"

"Please don't say anything. I don't want everyone knowing my business. I just want things to go back to how they were before that stupid accident, OK?"

"Mum…"

"For me?" Ronnie implored her.

Katy sighed and closed her eyes, before shrugging. "Fine… but I will never, ever like him. You do understand that, right?"

"Roxy is my best friend and my sister. She's your aunt, Katy. She adores you and you adore her. Don't let this spoil everything."

The younger woman snorted. "It's not me spoiling everything, Mum."

"I know that… just… please."

"I can't believe this… I can't believe I missed it."

Ronnie smiled weakly. "I know how tough things have been for you."

Katy shook her head. "Right… I'll just… pretend nothing happened."

"Thank you."

The brunette glanced at her watch and realised how late it was getting. "I've got to go to work."

"OK… I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah." Although she sounded a little distant, Ronnie was relieved when her daughter bent to press a kiss to her forehead. "See you tomorrow."

x-x

Katy sighed and pushed the ledger in front of her further across the desk. She was supposed to be working on the stock situation at the R&R, but her mind kept wandering back to what she'd learnt about Charlie and Roxy. Ronnie had made her promise to act normally, but it was easier said than done. All she wanted to do was rip them apart for what they'd done to her mother while she'd been in a coma.

Standing up, the young woman started to pace the office, biting her thumbnail. Since the accident, she'd been left in sole control of running the club. Phil didn't trust Roxy to pull her weight and Sharon was too busy with the Albert to bother. Now that things with the Albert seemed to be running smoothly, Katy had been worried that Sharon would demand her job at the R&R back. So far, though, the blonde hadn't set foot over the threshold of the club.

"Katy? You need to come and sign off on this delivery." Matt, one of the barmen told her, poking his head around the office door.

Nodding and sending him a weak smile, the young woman pulled herself together and strode towards the door. She jogged up the steps and held out her hand for the clipboard that held the list of what had been delivered. After checking over it quickly and receiving a nod from two more of the guys who worked for her, she signed the dotted line at the bottom and held the clipboard out to the delivery driver.

Her gaze wandered away, past the lorry, falling on a tall, good-looking man who sent a smirk in her direction. Katy's eyes narrowed as Vincent sent her a mock salute before heading away in the direction of the Albert. Shaking her head, the young woman returned to her office, slamming the door and forcing herself to concentrate on the books once more.

A while later, her mobile vibrated against the surface of her desk, making her jump. Glancing at the display, Katy read her aunt's name and her lip curled up in slight disgust. She hated Roxy for what she'd done, but she hated her more for making her feel that way about her. Ronnie had been right; Katy did adore her aunt. But she couldn't look at her without anger surging through her body.

"What d'you want? I'm busy." She snapped down the phone.

"Everything OK?" Roxy asked, instantly sensing the anger that was being directed at her.

"Fine. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong! Ronnie's home. Charlie's just been to collect her from the hospital."

Katy's mouth dropped open and she almost let her mobile slip through her fingers as she let that information sink in. "What? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Ronnie wanted to surprise you." Roxy laughed. "But I knew that there was no way you'd be home until tonight, so I wanted to give you a heads up so you can come and see her."

"I…" Grabbing her keys and purse, Katy nodded; even though she knew the blonde couldn't see her. "I'm on my way now."

Hanging up, she called over to Matt that she was leaving him in charge while she popped home and hurried across the Square. Charlie's car was parked outside the house by the time she arrived and she assumed that her mother would already be home.

Pushing past a man wearing overalls and carrying a large cardboard box, Katy went into the living room, breaking into a broad grin at the sight of her mother sitting on the sofa. She immediately barged past Charlie to give Ronnie a hug, grinning as the blonde chuckled in her ear before pulling away. Ronnie tucked a lock of dark hair behind her daughter's ear, before winking at her.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming home?" Katy demanded.

"I wanted it to be a surprise!" Ronnie said, reiterating her sister's words. "A good one, I hope."

"The best." The younger woman confirmed.

"So?" Ronnie turned back to her husband. "Are you gonna get your stuff then?"

He nodded, glancing shiftily in Roxy's direction, before leaving the room. Katy looked between the two blondes with a frown, waiting for someone to enlighten her. Roxy suddenly became very interested in something invisible on the mantelpiece, so Ronnie smiled at her daughter.

"Charlie and Matthew are moving in here with us. All my favourite people under one roof."

Katy frowned. "It's already a bit cramped, Mum…"

"It'll be fine; they'll share my room."

"I wasn't really thinking about sleeping arrangements…" Katy muttered, shooting a dark look in her aunt's direction. Roxy, still staring at the spot on the mantelpiece, didn't notice.

"We're family, Katy."

"Yeah…" Sending her a weak smile, Katy stood up. "I've gotta get back to work… are you OK to pick up the girls from nursery, Rox?"

"Course…" The younger blonde assured her. "They're gonna be happy to see their Grandma home."

Nodding and pressing a kiss to her mother's forehead, Katy left the house in a hurry. She wasn't sure what game Ronnie was playing, but she had no doubt in her mind that the blonde was playing a game. She just hoped that Ronnie would let her in on it soon… and that it wouldn't backfire.


	84. Chapter 84

"Get out of the bathroom!" Katy bellowed, hammering on the door. "I've got to get to work!"

The door opened a fraction of an inch and Roxy's eye appeared in the gap. "Yeah? Well it's not my fault Charlie got here before either of us. I've got to do the school run, so you're just gonna have to wait."

"Oh my god!" The younger woman exclaimed, hitting out at the door again as her aunt closed it firmly.

Stamping back to her bedroom, Katy huffed angrily. Her anger turned to exasperation as she spotted Ruby pulling clothes out of her drawers and throwing them haphazardly behind her. With a growl, she lifted the three-year-old away from the mess she was making and put her down on the other side of the bed.

"I'm hungry!" Ruby complained.

"I'll get your breakfast now." Her mother assured her, breathing deeply so she didn't take her anger out on her daughter. "Just… let me get dressed, OK? Go back to your room and ask Amy to help you get ready or nursery."

"But I want–"

"Ruby, go."

With a petulant scowl, Ruby left the room. Katy sighed and ran a hand through her hair, before turning to the twins and smiling as brightly as she could. She talked to them while she threw on some clothes, before dressing them too. With one on each hip, she headed down the stairs where she found Amy and Ruby sitting in front of the television.

"Come on, you two. Breakfast."

By the time they had all been fed, Roxy appeared with her keys in her hand. She smiled apologetically at her niece and scooped Sophie out of her arms. Loading them into the double buggy, she led the way out of the house, leaving Katy to run upstairs and finish getting ready for work.

"I thought this would get easier." Ronnie admitted quietly, making her daughter jump. Turning, with her toothbrush sticking out of her mouth, Katy arched an eyebrow. "All of us under one roof."

Katy spat out her mouthful. "It's just taking time to get into a routine."

"You're not happy, are you?"

"I don't like him, Mum." She replied bluntly. "He's ruined everything."

"He's my husband."

Turning back to the sink, Katy rinsed her toothbrush and her mouth, before turning and leaving the bathroom. She didn't respond to her mother's words. Heading downstairs, she grabbed her jacket and bag and left, slamming the door behind her.

x-x

Later that afternoon, Katy received a phone call from Phil, demanding that she went round to his. Frowning, she called through to the bar that she was popping out for a bit and headed along Bridge Street towards Phil's house. Jay was heading towards it too, so Katy called out, attracting his attention.

Jay simply shrugged when she asked whether he knew what was going on, telling her that he'd just been told to go home, the same as her. They went inside together, finding Ronnie, Roxy, Ben and Abi already there. Slipping onto the sofa beside her mother, Katy looked around curiously.

"Why are we here?" She muttered, almost under her breath.

"Sharon's done a disappearing act. Phil's worried." Ronnie replied with a shrug.

They heard the door slamming shut and then Phil appeared in the doorway, glancing around with his usual scowl in place. "_Shirley says Sharon left hers ages ago. She ain't been back here?_"

"_No._" Ronnie shook her head. "_So where the hell is she?_"

"_I don't know. I'm going to go looking for her._"

Katy didn't have time to ask why they were all so bothered about Sharon's whereabouts, before the front door opened and closed again and the woman herself walked into the room.

"_What's all this?_" She asked with an air of amusement. "_Family gathering?_" She looked out into the hallway and beckoned someone inside. "_This is Gordon. He's my biological father._"

Katy's eyebrows shot up so high that they were in danger of disappearing into her hairline. "No way…"

Sharon crossed the room and hugged Phil tightly. "_Thanks so much for finding him for me. I know he's not quite what I was expecting, but… this means everything to me._"

"_Well, it's what you wanted._" Phil told her with a nonchalant shrug. "_Listen, what happened with Vincent?_"

"_Why don't we talk about that later?_" Sharon told him dismissively. "_I don't want to spoil the mood while Dad's here._"

"_Hold on, Sharon…_" Ronnie started, but the older woman clearly wasn't listening.

"_And we need to turn the sofa into a bed?_"

"_What?_"

"_Well I've asked Gordon to stay. That's alright, isn't it?_"

Sharon beamed at him and left the room. Katy looked between her mother and Phil in slight confusion, sure that there was something else going on that wasn't being talked about. Then she sighed and stood up.

"Well, if that's all… I've got to get back to work."

"Yeah, me too." Jay agreed.

Together they left the house, shaking their heads in equal amounts of bemusement. Pausing on the corner, Katy looked critically at the boy.

"D'you buy it?"

"What?"

"That that guy is Sharon's dad?"

Jay shrugged, folding his arms. "I dunno… maybe?"

"I don't. It was too… forced. There's something else going on."

"Like what?" Jay chuckled. "You see conspiracies everywhere."

"I do not." She pouted and smacked him lightly on the shoulder. "Catch you later."

With a nod, Jay said goodbye and headed in the direction of the Arches, while Katy made her way thoughtfully along Bridge Street. Seeing Sharon turning up with the man who may, or may not, be her father had made the young woman think about her own father. She had never really bothered about him before; having more than enough family with the Mitchells around. Now, though, she was wondering whether it might be an idea to get in touch.

She had a name; Joel Reynalds. What she didn't have was an address. Katy ruled out asking Ronnie or any of the Mitchells to help her track him down, knowing what their response would be. If she was honest with herself she didn't actually know whether looking for Joel was a good idea or not. She couldn't even work out why the idea had occurred to her.

Deciding to shelve the thought for a while and concentrate on what was happening at the moment, she headed towards the R&R with more determination in her steps.

x-x

Seeing the name flashing up on the screen of her mobile, Katy sighed deeply. "What is it now, Phil?"

"First, dinner tonight at Beale's. The whole family is coming, so you better be there."

"I'm working."

"Take a break." He snapped, clearly not taking no for an answer. "Second, I need you over at The Albert."

"When?"

"Now."

"Umm… again, working."

"The club's not even open yet."

Katy sighed and stood up. "Why?"

"Just come and meet me."

Rolling her eyes, Katy continued up the stairs and out of the club. She saw Phil, with Jay and Lola in tow, heading for Sharon's bar. They paused outside and waited for her to join them, before going in.

"_Buy as many cocktails as you like._" Phil told them, pulling a wad of notes out of his pocket. "_As long as they're Sharon's._"

"_Right, fair enough._" Jay agreed, leading the way in.

They went straight to the bar and he ordered three mojitos. Sharon beamed at the trio, but Kim looked put out. Katy grinned, realising exactly what was going on. She doubted, however, that the other woman would let Sharon's advantage play out for very long.

Accepting her drink, Katy followed the others over to a table in the corner. Her mobile started to buzz in her pocket but she ended the call without even looking to see who was ringing. She wasn't in the mood to deal with life at the moment and, if Phil was paying, she was determined to drink as much as she could.

"_Lola?_" They all turned at the sound of the younger girl's name, seeing Dean frowning at her. "_You enjoying yourself are you?_"

"_Yeah! Uhhh, no! But I can explain. Basically…_"

"_Don't bother._" Dean told her. "_You know Paul? He's my new trainee. Turns out you were right; I did have to let someone go._"

"_Me? No… you can't. You can't do that._" Lola argued.

"_I can't afford slackers, I'm sorry. You had your chance._"

As they walked away, Katy scowled after him. "You're just going to let that… rapist… fire you without standing up for yourself?"

"What am I supposed to do?" She demanded, sniffing slightly. "He's my boss."

"Talk to Phil… he got you into this mess, he should get you out of it."


	85. Chapter 85

Katy ran her hands through her hair agitatedly. Two hundred pounds had gone missing somewhere and she couldn't work out what could have happened to it. Flicking through the club's accounts for the tenth time, she still couldn't make head nor tail of what they were telling her. After the third time of looking through them, the figures had blurred into unintelligible squiggles.

"Alright, boss?" Matt asked, poking his head around the doorframe and catching the tail end of a long, deep sigh.

"Yeah… fine." She told him with a weak smile. "What's up?"

"There's a guy here wanting to book the club for a twenty-first on Saturday?"

"Ummm…" The young woman rubbed her forehead tiredly. "It's short notice. Pass me the diary."

The young barman grinned and leant across her desk to slide the large black week-to-page diary out of the pile and pass it to her. "You alright?"

"Yeah, fine." She repeated, flicking through the pages to find the date in question. "Yeah, tell him he can book the club on Saturday… usual rates. See if he wants the VIP room and the main room, or just the VIP. If he wants the whole building tell him there's a £250 deposit and if it's just the VIP it's only £100."

"Sure thing." Matt agreed, heading for the door. When he reached it, he paused, turning to look at her carefully. Katy had returned to staring at the accounts book with her head in her hands. "Are you sure you're OK, boss?"

"Yes!" She sighed, half-heartedly throwing the first thing she laid her hands on, a stapler, in his direction. "Go and earn us some money."

Ordinarily the twenty-two-year-old would have gone to her mother and asked her for help to work out the accounts. Ronnie, however, was obsessed with whatever was going on in the house. Katy had finally got her to admit that she thought that Roxy and Charlie were having an affair, but when her mother had refused to confront them about it, the young woman had grown impatient and vowed to have nothing to do with the whole situation.

Growling with frustration, Katy spun round on her chair, turning her back on the open accounts ledger on her desk and unlocked her mobile, staring at the wallpaper. Her daughter grinned back at her. Shaking her head slightly, Katy scrolled through her contacts and stared at the number she had found for Joel Reynalds. The young women had questioned herself over and over again, wondering why it was so important to her to find him. She didn't need a father; she had Jack. But she still had so many questions.

Locking her mobile and throwing it onto the desk surface, Katy put her head in her hands and sighed deeply. She felt like shit. She had managed to lose money somewhere along the line in a business that took up all of her time and stopped her being a proper mother to her children. Ruby and the twins spend more time with their grandmother than they did with their mother. Katy felt like a failure most of the time and, with Ronnie now obsessed with Charlie and Roxy, she had no one to turn to. Even her friends had deserted her; Whitney spent all her time with Lee and Lauren was off on the other side of the world with Peter.

Trying to distract herself for a while, Katy opened up a webpage and started looking for cheap holiday options so that she could take the girls and get away from the Square for a while. Although she knew they hadn't been back from Spain for that long, she wanted some time with her daughters, just the four of them, before Ruby started school in September.

"Going somewhere?"

"Thinking about it." Katy told her aunt, glancing up quickly. "You're not coming."

Roxy pouted. "Please?"

"No!"

"Amy would love it."

"You take Amy on holiday then."

"That's not the point!" The blonde pouted. "Amy would way prefer a holiday with her cousins…"

"What? While her mummy takes advantage of a free babysitter and goes out drinking?" Katy asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Well if you're volunteering…?"

"No."

Roxy huffed loudly, pouting like a petulant teenager. "You're no fun."

"And you're too much fun." Katy muttered, folding her arms and leaning back in her seat. "Shouldn't you be on the stall?"

"Mas gave me a break."

"So you've come to annoy me."

"Of course." The blonde chuckled and dropped onto the sofa in the corner of the office. "What's wrong?"

For a moment, Katy considered telling her aunt about the worries she had. She ran a hand through her hair, considering telling Roxy about the missing money and Ronnie's obsession with the idea that there was something going on with the younger blonde and Charlie. But then she glanced across and saw Roxy's questioning face, one eyebrow arched, changing her mind instantly.

"I'm just tired." Katy sighed. "I seem to just spend my time working here, or at home with the kids…"

"You need to have some fun." Roxy told her with a wink and a big grin. "When's your next night off?"

"Three weeks on Wednesday." The brunette deadpanned.

"You're kidding…" Her aunt winced. "Ouch." There was a pause and then Roxy clapped her hand to her forehead. "Shit! Can I borrow your phone? I need to text Ron."

Nodding, the young woman threw it across, returning her attention to her computer. It was only when Roxy was typing in her passcode that she remembered what she'd last been looking at. "Hang on, Rox, I–"

It was too late. The blonde looked up at her with wide, accusing eyes. "What is this?"

"Aunty Rox, I–"

"Joel? Why the hell have you got Joel's number?"

"It's nothing." Katy tried to assure her, walking around the desk and attempting to snatch her phone back. "I just… I was curious. I haven't rung him or anything…"

Keeping the phone out of reach, Roxy's finger hovered over delete. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't get rid of it?"

"Because it's not up to you!"

"Your mum–"

"My mum has barely spoken to me properly for a week." Katy snapped. "Sometimes I just… sometimes I wish I wasn't a Mitchell. It's so… there's so much pressure."

"What?"

"Don't do that." The brunette shook her head. "Don't pretend you don't know what I mean. I know you struggle sometimes… living up to the name. I've heard you… calling yourself the bimbo sister… you're not, you know."

Roxy scoffed. "Shut up."

"No, Aunty Rox. You're not stupid and you are worth far more than you think. Getting this job… you're proving it. You just need to… find someone who deserves you."

Opening and closing her mouth wordlessly, Roxy shook her head. "Don't… don't turn this back on me."

"I'm not. I just… I'm trying to explain."

"So what are you going to do?" Roxy asked, handing the mobile phone back and dropping onto the sofa once more. "Are you going to see him?"

"I don't know. I haven't decided." Katy admitted. "I don't want to hurt Mum and I've got a dad… I've got Jack. I just… I just want to know. I'm curious."

"Maybe it's a good idea?" Roxy mused after a couple of moment's contemplation. Receiving a questioning frown, she elaborated. "Joel… I reckon Joel's family are pretty normal. I think… maybe it would be a good thing…"

Katy shrugged and looked away. "I dunno. I'll think about it."


	86. Chapter 86

Roxy had only just left the R&R when Lola burst through the door. Her older cousin sighed exasperatedly and rolled her eyes as the teenager leant heavily on the desk and fixed her with a broad grin.

"You know how I'm your very favourite cousin?"

"What d'you want, Lo?"

"Dean's gonna get me and Paul to do a cut and colour and then he's gonna compare them." She explained. "Please! I really want this job."

"Why? Why would you want to work for a rapist?"

"Katy!"

"What, he is?"

"That's not… I just want this. You have to help me out."

"No way."

"Oh, come on, K! Please!"

"No!"

"Please!"

"Lola… I'm busy." Katy sighed, running her hand through her hair.

"I know, I know! Jay was gonna help me out, but then something came up with Ben and he legged it."

Suddenly interested, the older girl sat up. "What's happened?"

"I dunno." Lola shrugged, turning and dropping onto the sofa. "I really want this job."

Exhaling deeply, the brunette held up her hands. "Fine! Later, though, OK?"

Lola squealed and rushed over to hug her cousin tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You're the actual best!"

"I know, I know."

"I'll come round yours about six?"

Katy shook her head. "I've got a break about half five, so I'll come over to yours."

"OK." Lola readily agreed, almost skipping towards the door. "See you later."

Watching her leave, the Mitchell sighed yet again and turned her attention back to the spreadsheet that was open on the screen in front of her, attempting to track the orders that they'd made over the past couple of months. She had just about got through the first couple when there was a loud knock on the office door.

"What the hell is it now?" She demanded under her breath, striding over and wrenching it open.

"Katherine Mitchell?"

"Yeah?" Katy eyed the two police officers suspiciously. "What d'you want?"

"Have you seen your cousin, Ben Mitchell, lately?"

"Lately?"

"Today… this afternoon?"

She snorted and strode back behind her desk, dropping into the chair and surveying them coolly. "No."

"Are you quite sure about that, Miss Mitchell?"

"Quite sure." She agreed.

"If it turns out you're lying–"

"I'm not. I haven't seen him."

"Right… well… thank you."

They turned to leave, but Katy called them back. "What d'you want to talk to him about?"

"Lucy Beale."

The Mitchell narrowed her eyes. "What? You think Ben…?"

"We can't discuss it. I'm sorry." The officer bowed his head slightly and followed his colleague out of the office.

Grabbing her bag off the sofa, Katy locked the office door and jogged up the steps. She made her way around the Square quickly, joining Sharon, Billy and Lola in the gardens just in time to see Ben being put in the back of a police car.

"What the hell is going on?" The brunette demanded, flashing confused eyes around at her family.

"_Give a dog a bad name, is it?_" Billy asked as the police car drove away. "_I mean, he's done it once, so maybe he'd do it again, eh?_"

"_Yeah, but they can't have anything on him, surely… they would have pulled him in ages ago._"

"_They're desperate, Lo._" Her grandfather reminded her. "_They need to send someone down. That way they can bury Lucy's file in some drawer somewhere and just forget about it._"

"_Jay…?_" They all frowned at the sight of the young man skulking around behind the bush. "_You alright?_"

"_Yeah… I've got to tell you something._" Jay looked around at the four bemused faces staring back at him. "_All of ya…_"

"What is it?" Katy demanded. "Is it about Ben? And Lucy?"

"Yeah…" Jay rubbed the back of his neck agitatedly. "The night she died… Ben mugged her. He nicked her phone and wallet… He reckoned she owed him because she didn't want to go to Miami anymore…I was there, but I…"

"You didn't try to stop him?"

"Of course I did!" He protested. "But he… he told me to hide them down the allotments…"

"We need to tell Ian." Sharon decided firmly.

Katy turned to her and shook her head. "No way. That's a terrible idea."

"But what if they tell the police about it? If Ben says he found them then that's just more evidence they'll twist and use to say he killed her."

"Yeah? And if Ian tells them Ben mugged her?" The young brunette snapped back.

"Ian wouldn't do that. He's more likely to keep it quiet if he thinks it'll help his brother."

Katy scoffed. "What? He's going to protect the person who murdered his precious little princess?"

"He didn't do it!"

"Right…"

"Stop!" Billy ordered, looking between them. "We can't start turning on each other. We need to figure this out."

"But first we need to tell Ian." Sharon decided.

She started striding across the Square, leaving them no option but to follow. Before Katy could stop her, she had knocked loudly on the Beales' front door. Shooting his friend a reassuring look, Jay bounced on the balls of his feet nervously, waiting for Ian or someone to appear.

"_Actually… now's not a good time._" Ian said, looking around at the assorted Mitchells standing on his doorstep.

"_It won't take long._" Sharon promised. "_Jay, tell Ian what you just told me. Come on!_"

"_You know Lucy's phone and wallet that Ben told you he found?_" He started reluctantly.

"_What about them?_"

"_Well he didn't find them. He stole them and I was there._"

"_What?_"

"_Basically he mugged her._"

"_I tried to stop him, Ian, but it just happened so quickly, you know?_"

"Why would Ben mug Lucy?" Ian asked, confused.

"_He had this ridiculous idea to run off to Miami… him and Lucy._" Jay admitted. "_Only Lucy got cold feet and when she did Ben's gone mad at her; reckoned she owed him money. So that's why he took her bag._"

"_Keep going._" Sharon ordered.

"_Well… Ben told me to get rid of them, so I did, down the allotments and you know the rest…_"

"_It's unbelievable._"

"_Does Phil know?_"

Jay nodded, causing Sharon to frown at him. "_What?_"

"Of course Phil knows." Katy rolled her eyes. "Phil knows everything."

"_He does. Ben told him ages ago._"

"_Oh, as usual, I'm the last to know!_" The older blonde groused.

Katy smirked. "It's 'cos you're not really a Mitchell…"

Sharon scowled at her. "Shut up."

"_Where's Phil now?_" Ian asked, clearly struggling to process everything he'd heard.

"_He's had to stay at the house, ain't he? In case the plods plant any evidence._"

"They probably won't need to…"

"Katy! You're not helping!" Sharon almost shouted at her. "_Ian, we need to talk about this._"

"Uhhh… Jane's taken Ben's arrest really badly."

"_What? And I haven't?_" Sharon asked.

"Not everything's about you, Sharon." Katy rolled her eyes before turning back to Ian. "Is Jane OK? What about Cindy and Bobby?"

"Yeah… yeah… they're fine." He told her distractedly. "_Go to the caf, get yourself a cup of tea and I'll be along in a minute, yeah?_"

"_OK._" Sharon agreed. As Ian went back into the house, she turned to Jay with an accusatory look in her eyes. "_How could ya?_"

Billy and Lola followed Sharon in the direction of the café, leaving Jay and Katy in their wake. Pulling him back slightly by the arm, the young woman cupped her friend's face gently, giving him a serious look.

"Listen to me, Jay. It's going to be fine." She promised him. "Just like when Ben… when Heather died. We're gonna stick together, OK? We'll get through it together."

He nodded and sent her a weak smile that didn't meet his eyes, before turning and following the others down Bridge Street. Katy watched him go, chewing her lip, before heading in the opposite direction.


	87. Chapter 87

"Mum?" Katy burst through the front door, looking wildly around for her mother. "Mum!"

"What?" Ronnie asked, appearing from the living room, bouncing Matthew in her arms. "What's wrong?"

"Ben's been arrested."

"You what?"

"Over the Lucy Beale murder. The police are all over the Sqaure… they came to the club looking for him." Katy explained quickly, dropping her bag and moving to sit on the sofa. "Apparently they've got new information or a new witness or something. That DI Marsden's on the case… except she's DCI now."

"She hates the Mitchells… especially Phil."

"He's being set up, isn't he?" The younger woman asked, shaking her head. "He didn't kill her?"

"Of course not." Ronnie replied. Her tone wasn't convincing though. "Just… we'll have to go and see Phil."

"Right." The brunette wriggled slightly as her mobile started vibrating in her pocket, pulling the device out and glancing at the screen. "What d'you want?"

"Jay's just been round here and Abi's upset. What's going on?" Max demanded in her ear.

"I don't know." She lied easily. "Something to do with Ben."

"Yeah… they're questioning him about Lucy, ain't they?"

"Yeah, maybe, I don't know." Katy sighed. "Now's really not a good time. I've got to go."

"Abi said Jay told her Ben wasn't in prison the night Lucy was killed." Max told her.

"I… listen, Max… I can't…"

"Give it here." Ronnie hissed, holding a hand out for the mobile.

Katy shook her head. "I've really got to go."

"Just… we've got to stick to the story. We were together when Lucy was killed."

"We were, Max. It's not a story… it's true." She reminded him.

"Do you think Ben did it?" He asked suddenly, catching her off guard.

"I… I don't know."

"You think he could have killed her, don't you?"

"I don't know." Spotting Ronnie moving towards her, arm still outstretched for the phone, Katy backed away. "I've got to go."

"Katy…" Ronnie frowned at her as she pushed her mobile back into her back pocket.

"Listen, Mum. I don't know whether Ben did it… he's definitely capable." The brunette replied bluntly. "But I've got to think about protecting myself. If they're looking at Ben, it means they're not looking anywhere near me."

"But you had nothing to do with her death?" Her mother asked, almost nervously.

"No… but I saw her that night… we had a fight. And… Max is my alibi, isn't he? If they start questioning him…"

"You're not the only one who threatened Lucy Beale that day…" Ronnie admitted quietly. "After you told me about you and Max and what she'd said… I went to speak to her. I warned her to stay away or she'd be sorry."

Katy ran a hand through her hair. "No one knows about that, right? We keep it between us. No one ever needs to find that out."

"Katy, it's not–"

"Never, OK. Mum promise me that you won't tell anyone else that. If anything happens to me, the girls are going to need you."

Ronnie looked horrified. "Nothing is going to happen to you. You didn't have anything to do with Lucy's death."

Katy laughed mirthlessly. "Does that matter? I'm a Mitchell… Ben probably didn't have anything to do with it, either, but that doesn't matter, does it? The way they see it, there'll just be one less Mitchell on the streets and safely locked up behind bars. Phil isn't going to let Ben go down for it, is he? They'll soon turn on someone else."

"Phil won't let you go down, either."

"Really? If it's a choice between me and his precious son?"

"There will be no choice."

The brunette shook her head seriously. "They're running out of ideas and they really need to get a result on this one. They're not going to care who it is, but they need to blame someone." Katy glanced at the time. "I need to get back to the R&R… just… let me know if anything happens, OK?"

Not giving Ronnie a chance to respond, Katy turned tail and rushed out of the house. She knew that her surname linked her to various dodgy reputations and she knew that there were vendettas that were bigger than what was going on. She had no doubt that Marsden had gone after Ben because of her hatred of Phil and she wasn't stupid enough to think that Phil would chose her over Ben if it came down to it. All she could hope was that her alibi would be enough to keep suspicion away from.

x-x

"Boss? We're gonna need you behind the bar." Lindsey called, poking her head through the door to the office, hours later. "It's rammed in here tonight."

Katy frowned. "Why? It's never normally packed on a Wednesday?"

"I reckon it's because of the arres–" The barmaid trailed off, realising who she was talking to.

"Ben's arrest?" Her boss replied with an arched eyebrow. "Maybe… people are sick, really, aren't they?" She sighed. "Flocking to the scene just because the 'murderer' was arrested today."

"You… you think he did it?"

Katy shrugged. "I have no idea."

Following the other women into the main room, Katy was glad of the distraction from her thoughts. The thumping vibrations of the music and the constant clamours for attention from the punters wanting drinks was keeping her mind focused on other things. It was only when she took a break, slipping outside to lean against the wall to get some fresh air, that her mind wandered back to the events of the day.

Spending a further couple of minutes outside, considering what might happen next, the young woman found herself itching to return to work to hide from her thoughts yet again. She returned to her spot behind the bar, laughing at the rubbish drunken chat up lines and spinning on her toes as she moved between the optics and taps behind the bar until the club closed.

She struggled to sleep that night and, when her daughter's woke her up early, the young woman was almost relieved. Her dreams had been plagued with nightmares of being dragged into a police station and not being allowed to leave. Although she knew she was totally innocent when it came to Lucy Beale's murder, there were plenty of skeletons in her cupboards that would cause problems if she came under suspicion.

"Katy? Phil wants to see us." Ronnie informed her, handing her a cup of coffee along with the news.

"Why?"

"I don't know… I'm guessing it's got something to do with yesterday and Ben."

"Is Ben going to be there?"

"I don't know!" Her mother repeated. "Come on."

They headed across the Square with Roxy and Charlie, settling themselves on the sofa just as Billy and Jay joined them. Sharon was hovering, clearly nervous about what was coming. No one had any idea what was going on, with Phil apparently not having given much away on the phone. The tension in the room was horrendous, no one able to think of anything to say to break it.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: A few of you have said that you'd like to see Jack turning out to be Katy's biological father. I love taking this fic in directions that you guys like, but I'm not sure how plausible this would be. I know, I know... this is a fanfic about a soap, so how plausible is any of it, really! Ha!**_

_**Basically, what I'm asking is, would you like it to head in that direction, or not?**_

_**Let me know!**_

_**x**_

_**Also, I won't be bringing Tyler into this fic. I loved writing him and Katy, but he doesn't really have a place in this version of that universe.**_


	88. Chapter 88

Luckily, though, they didn't have long to wait before they heard the front door opening and Phil walked in looking as though he'd had a rough time.

"_Where's Ben?_" Roxy demanded at once.

"_Didn't Ritchie sort it?_" Ronnie added, seeing the expression on his face.

"_No._" He replied bluntly.

"_What do we pay her for if she can't pull her finger out?_" The older sister demanded, looking irritated.

Her daughter looked past her to Phil, who was staring at the floor. She was sure there was more to the situation that Ritchie not pulling her finger out, but she couldn't work out what it could be. Running a hand through her hair, she scooted forward slightly, fixing her full attention on her step-uncle.

"_It weren't down to her… it was me._" Everyone frowned in bemusement. "_Ben was with Lucy._"

"_What? When?_"

"_That night_."

"_No, but he wasn't around then?_" Roxy said, looking totally confused.

"_He was._" Jay argued. "_I was with him. Him and Lucy were in touch. She owed him money, so he nicked her bag._"

"_I found her phone and purse… handed it into the nick. If the prints match Ben's then they're going to charge him with Lucy's murder._" Phil told them emotionlessly.

"_But they won't… I mean… you cleaned them off?_" Ronnie said, unable to understand what he was saying.

He didn't respond for a moment, shifting from foot to foot as the tension rocketed. "_No._"

"_Jay!_" Billy reached out for the younger man as he shot off the chair and out of the room.

No one else said anything; not quite able to believe what had just happened. Katy ran her hands through her hair, agitatedly, trying to make sense of what Phil had told them. Beside her, Ronnie and Roxy gaped wordlessly at each other.

"_We all know what he's capable of, don't we?_" Phil demanded when no one spoke.

"_That's not the same thing!_" Ronnie argued. "_That was an accident._"

"Ask your daughter? Ask her if it seemed very accidental at the time?" Phil told her. "Well, Katy? Did it seem like an accident to you when he bashed Heather Trott's head in, eh?"

"I…" She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times. "I don't know… I…"

"_He killed Heather with a blow to the head, didn't he?_" Phil persisted. "_It's the same as Lucy. Y'know… accident, murder… what difference does it make? They both ended up dead, didn't they?_"

"_I can't believe this!_" Roxy exclaimed.

"_He's your son!_" Her sister pointed out needlessly.

"_I didn't have a choice, alright? Look… he's messed up, ain't he? And he needs help._"

"_Oh? You think he's going to get it inside?_" Ronnie demanded, scowling at him.

"_And what if it happens again? Yeah? Only next time it could be Lexi or Amy or Matthew_ or Ruby or the twins."

"_You know Phil's right._" Sharon cut in as all the women in the room tensed at the images his words had conjured up in their minds. "_We need to support his decision. So if he is innocent, then…_"

"_Innocent?_"

"_Well, what I mean is, if he's innocent then the police'll prove it, won't they?_"

"_How could you?_" Abi demanded furiously, bursting into the room. "_You're his dad! You're supposed to protect him, no matter what._"

"_Abi…_"

"_He can't go back to prison, he will fall apart._"

"_This ain't your problem._"

"_What's that supposed to mean?_" She demanded, not seeing what everyone else in the room knew.

"_Ben ain't coming back, so just run along, alright._"

"_He didn't do it!_"

"_She's right, you know she is!_" Ronnie jumped in.

"_Well, that's the whole point, I don't._"

"_He's innocent!_"

Charlie looked at the teenager and shook his head. "_How do you know?_"

"_She's just mouthing off._" Phil said dismissively.

"_No, I'm not._"

"_Abi? Have you got proof?_" Roxy asked, clearly humouring the girl.

"_What do you know?_"

"_Abi?_"

"_This is Ben's future we're talking about… if you know something… if you can help him!_"

"_I'm just saying it could have been anyone._"

"_You said you knew_."

"_Because I know Ben._"

"_No, no, no. That's not what you meant._" Ronnie argued, shaking her head.

"_Yes, it is!_"

"_Just tell us Abi!_"

"_Ron!_ _Ron, Ron, Ron! Sit down!_" Roxy demanded, pulling her sister back onto the sofa beside her.

"Chill out, Mum!" Katy shrugged. "She's just a kid… she doesn't know anything."

"_It ain't just Ben in trouble here… Jay could go to prison as well!_"

"_D'you really want this on your conscience?_"

"_I don't know… I didn't mean…_"

Sharon stepped in, seeing Abi floundering. "_Look, come on, you're upsetting her. You can talk to me, Abi._"

The teenager turned and left the room, causing Ronnie to get to her feet, obviously intending to follow her out. Phil stopped her gently, offering to go himself. They all watched as the man strode out, pulling the door closed behind him.

"D'you reckon she actually knows anything useful?" Roxy asked, looking around at the others carefully.

Katy shook her head at once. "No. She's so besotted with Ben she'd say anything… she won't even see that he's blatantly gay. She thinks she's part of this family… she thinks she's a Mitchell."

"Leave off, Katy." Roxy sighed. "She's just a kid."

"It's pathetic." Her niece continued. "She's so desperate she's ignoring the truth!"

"So you think Ben's guilty too, then?" Billy asked, frowning at her.

"If the cap fits…"

"That's enough, Katy!" Her mother snapped.

"… you sit yourself down and I'll make you a cuppa, alright?" Phil said as the backdoor opened and then closed again. He showed Abi into the living room and gestured for Katy to move so that the teenager could sit down. With a frown, she did as she was told, moving to sit on the arm beside Roxy. "Abi thinks she knows who killed Lucy. We've called the Old Bill."

"Who?" Roxy demanded curiously.

"Max."

"What?" The blonde asked, laughing softly in disbelief. "No way!"

Katy and Ronnie exchanged a look. "You can't be serious?"

"The police are on their way to speak to Abi."

"I need to get to the club." Katy muttered, shaking her head and standing up. "Let me know what happens, yeah?"

She turned and headed through the front door; unable to believe how quickly things had turned on their head. She didn't believe that Max was capable of murder but, even if he was, she knew that if he came under the limelight then she would be under suspicion as well, for lying to give him an alibi at the very least.

"Katy!" Ronnie called after her, causing the younger Mitchell to pause and turn to face her. "Are you OK?"

"If they decide Max did it, what does that mean for me?" She demanded worriedly. "I'm his alibi and he's mine. If they go after him are they going to come after me, too?"

Ronnie chewed her lip. "Are you sure you–?"

"I told you, Mum, I had nothing to do with Lucy's death." She sighed. "I don't think Max did, either."

"Why would Abi say it otherwise?"

Katy shook her head. "I don't know… Maybe because of Ben?"

Arching an eyebrow her mother looked unconvinced. "You really think she'd choose Ben over her own father?"

"I don't know!" The younger woman repeated with a deep sigh. "But I don't buy that Max killed Lucy…"


	89. Chapter 89

A couple of days passed and Max was arrested for Lucy's murder. Katy felt sick as she waited for the inevitable knock on the front door as they came after her. To her confusion and relief that never happened. She guessed that Max must have been sticking to the story that she was there and, whatever he had done, Katy had never left the house.

Since her conversation with Roxy about going to speak to her father, Katy had been more and more preoccupied with the idea. She had spent hours staring at the screen of her mobile, trying to make up her mind whether to press call and speak to Joel. Then it occurred to her that meeting him in person might be a better option. She didn't know anything about him and she had no idea whether he would try to brush her aside or whether he'd be happy to meet her.

She had managed to find Joel's address by searching through Ronnie's things when she wasn't around. It had taken a long time to find the address book, stuffed at the back of a drawer. But Katy had been determined to find it and she had. Taking a photograph of the address she needed, the young woman had returned everything to its rightful position and retreated before her mother had a chance to catch her.

That was how Katy had found herself standing on the pavement of a modest sized, semi-detached house that was two tube journeys away from the Square. Now she was here, she was determined to follow through with her decision to make herself known to her father.

Gritting her teeth, the brunette opened the gate and stalked up with path. She hesitated for a split second on the doorstep before lifting her hand and ringing the doorbell. It was too late to change her mind as she heard the shrill ring and, after a couple of moments, she saw a dark shadow moving in the hallway on the other side of the front door.

"Hello?"

"Hi… I'm looking for Joel Reynalds." Katy told the teenager who was looking at her curiously.

"Umm…" Glancing over her shoulder, the girl frowned. "Hang on… dad!"

A short, balding man appeared in the hall and walked towards them, looking curiously between his daughter and the woman on the doorstep. "Hannah?"

"This lady was asking for you." The teenager, Hannah, informed him with a questioning gaze.

"Hello? Can I help you?"

Taking a breath, Katy nodded. "My name's Katy Mitchell… I'm your daughter." Both Reynalds' mouths dropped open in astonishment as they stared at her. There was a couple of moment's complete silence, before the young woman shrugged. "Can I come in?"

Apparently not knowing what to say, the man stood aside and ushering her into the front room. The teenager had disappeared and Katy had no doubt that she had gone to inform her mother of what was happening. As she had never asked her mother about Joel or his family, the sight of the teenage girl had taken her by surprise. She hadn't even considered the possibility that he had other children.

"I'm sorry I don't really know what to say." Joel told her, motioning for her to sit on the sofa. "I… The last time… I saw Ronnie and she told me our daughter had died. We… we didn't part on the best of terms…"

"She doesn't know I'm here." Katy informed him quickly. "I don't think she'd be happy, but… I felt like I had to come. I wanted to know the truth. I wanted to meet you."

"Are you… are you completely sure that you're… I mean…"

"I'm definitely Ronnie's daughter. We did tests and everything."

There was a long pause while he scrutinised her carefully. "I can see the resemblance between you and her." He told her finally.

Katy smiled. "Everyone says I look exactly like her… just darker."

"You do." There was another long silence and then Joel sighed, shaking his head. "Look… I don't know what you want from me…"

"I don't want anything. I was curious."

"I haven't got much money… I can't really afford to give you anything."

Katy frowned. "I don't want your money."

"Then what do you want?"

"Like I said, I was curious."

The living room door opened and a dark-haired woman appeared, closely followed by three teenage girls. The one who had answered the door to Katy was evidently the middle child, her older sister closely resembling their mother and her younger sister having lighter brown hair. They all stared at the stranger sitting on their sofa with suspicious interest.

Katy looked between them, before glancing towards Joel. She wasn't sure whether he was going to introduce her to his family or not. For a moment he just stared, clearly not sure about that himself. Just as Katy was about to do it herself, he cleared his throat.

"Steph, girls… this is Katy. She's… Do you remember Ronnie?"

"Ronnie Mitchell? The woman you left Mum for?" The oldest girl asked bluntly, scowling at the mention of the other woman.

"Yeah… Well… this is our daughter."

His wife raised her eyebrows, looking furious. She lowered her voice to a dangerous tone. "You told me she died."

"I thought she had. That's what Ronnie told me."

"Well clearly she isn't dead. She obviously lied to you."

"That's not my fault, is it? I didn't know she–"

"I am still here, you know?" Katy interrupted them. "My mum thought I was dead… There was a whole situation with some other girl who Archie twisted. Everyone thought she was me, but… she wasn't. I didn't even know I was her daughter… Archie told me she and Roxy were my sisters."

"So what do you want?"

"I don't want anything." Katy repeated for what felt like the tenth time.

"So why are you here?"

The Mitchell stood, shaking her head. "I was curious. But, you know what, I can't deal with all this. I'm sorry I bothered you."

"When's your birthday?" Joel demanded suddenly.

"December 6th… why?"

"Then… you can't be my daughter."

Katy frowned. "What? What do you mean?"

"The baby Ronnie and I would have had would have been born before then… months before." Joel told her with a shrug, folding his arms. "We split up in November… there's no way our kid would have been born in December."

The young woman's mouth dropped open in surprise. She had no idea whether that was true or not, but she couldn't believe that Ronnie would have lied to her about who her father was. Even Roxy thought Joel was her father. It didn't make sense to Katy that Ronnie would have deliberately hidden the truth from everyone for so long. But the expression on Joel's face was completely sincere and Katy knew instinctively that he was telling her the truth.

"I…" She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't… I'm sorry."

Without waiting to hear anything else, she pushed past the group of females in the doorway and escaped from the house. Katy felt as though the walls were pushing in on her, threatening to crush her if she didn't get out as quickly as possible. She couldn't breathe, feeling as though everything she knew was a lie. Whatever else Ronnie said and did, Katy had been sure she would never deliberately lie to her daughter.

But she had.


	90. Chapter 90

"Aunty Roxy… I need to ask you something." A couple of weeks had passed since Katy had been to see Joel Reynalds and found out that she wasn't his daughter.

Roxy stifled a yawn and glanced sideways at her niece. "What?"

"Joel isn't my father, is he?"

The blonde frowned. "What? Of course he is. Ronnie said so."

"She lied, Rox."

"What?" Her aunt laughed and shook her head. "What are you talking about? Why would she lie?"

"I don't know… but she did."

Suddenly, Roxy looked serious. She turned off the television and moved slightly so that she was facing her niece properly. "What are you talking about, Katy?"

"I went to see Joel. He told me that he couldn't be my father, because him and Mum split up over a year before I was born. There's no way he can be my dad." She explained with a sigh. Then she bit her lip. "Besides… I look absolutely nothing like him… or his daughters. There's no similarity whatsoever."

"But why would Ronnie lie?"

"I don't know… unless…"

Both women seemed to have the same idea at the same time and both looked equally horrified by it. In fact, Katy felt physically sick about the thought that had just popped into her mind. She hoped beyond hope that she was wrong, but it certainly made sense that the nagging feeling in the back of her mind might be why Ronnie had lied about who her father was.

"You don't think…?"

"It would explain why she lied…"

"But she wouldn't… surely she wouldn't have…?"

Katy chewed her lip, feeling ill. "If Archie… but he…"

Roxy shook her head, suddenly decisive. "No. No, it can't be true. I don't believe Ron would have kept…"

"But she didn't keep me." The brunette pointed out.

"She would have, given the chance… you know that."

"So why would she lie?"

"There's one way to find out." Roxy said, looking wary.

Katy frowned at her. "I can't ask her if I'm the result of her being raped by her own father!"

"What?"

Roxy and Katy stared at each other with wide eyes as Ronnie's voice met their ears. They turned, slowly and looked at her, both willing the ground to open and swallow them whole. The elder woman was looking between them with an almost frightened scowl on her face. She waited for them to answer her but, when it became apparent that neither her sister nor her daughter was about to speak, she folded her arms.

"You know who your father is, Katy. I've told you about Joel."

"He's not my father." The younger woman replied bluntly. "I've been to see him. He's not my father."

"You…" Ronnie gaped at her. "When? Why?"

"I was curious. I wanted to see what he was like." Katy admitted. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want to upset you. I never intended it to go any further than seeing him. I don't need or want any more family… I just wanted to see what he was like."

"And why are you suddenly so sure he's not your father?" Ronnie demanded irritably. "Because you decided he wasn't what you'd been imagining?"

Katy shook her head. "No… because he told me that it was impossible. He told me when you broke up… he can't physically be my father."

Ronnie gaped at her for a moment and then closed her mouth. She opened her mouth again, as though she was about to say something, before closing it once more. Apparently she was completely lost for words, evidently realising that she had been caught out. Her lack of response caused Roxy and Katy to worry that their assumption was correct.

"Is… was… did…" Katy couldn't string the words together to ask the question. "Was Archie my father?"

Ronnie looked horrified. "No, Katy! Oh, god, no!"

Katy was unable to disguise the immense relief she felt at her mother's vehement denial of her worst fears. She exhaled sharply and ran a hand over her face, before turning to look at Ronnie once more, determined to get to the truth now that they had established the older woman had been lying before.

"So… who?"

"I don't know." Ronnie admitted quietly. "I genuinely don't."

"What d'you mean? How do you not know?"

"I just don't, Katy. I'm sorry, I don't know who your father is."

"But how…?"

"After I broke up with Joel, because of Archie, I used to go out and drink a lot. One night I ended up sleeping with someone and I got pregnant. I don't know who he was. If I did, I would tell you, sweetheart." Ronnie promised gently. "That's why I said it was Joel… because I didn't want to admit I didn't know."

"So… I'm never going to find out?"

Ronnie frowned lightly. "Why does it matter so much to you?"

"I want to know where I came from, apart from this side of our family." Katy said slowly. "My girls are never going to know their fathers and neither am I… it just seems important, somehow."

"There's no reason Jessica and Sophie can't know Max." Roxy pointed out, earning herself scathing looks from both Ronnie and Katy. "What? Just because he's banged up at the moment…"

"Max isn't their dad." Katy told her with a sigh. "I wasn't pregnant when we went to Ibiza."

Roxy gaped at her in complete confusion. "But… what?"

"I told Lauren and Abi the truth… I told them that I slept with Daniel after the Flower Power Fiesta and that must have been when I got pregnant."

"Daniel?" Her aunt demanded with a frown. "Not… not Carlos' son?"

"Yeah, him." Katy agreed with a nod. "I wasn't sure… but it's the only option."

"So why did you…?"

"I thought I could get some money out of Max… I don't know… it was crazy…"

"Are you sure about that?" Roxy demanded, needing to be sure in her own mind.

Ronnie nodded. "It's true… Max isn't their father."

Katy frowned. "How do you know?"

"I…" Her mother blushed, before fixing her with an expression that clearly said she didn't regret her actions at all. "I did a DNA test."

"You did what?" Her daughter asked in a low voice. "What gave you the right to–?"

"I needed to know!" Ronnie snapped. "I needed to know whether Max got my little girl pregnant. If he had… he wouldn't still be walking, I can promise you that."

"It's nothing to do with you!"

"It has everything to do with me! You're my daughter, Katy. I'm just looking out for you!"

"What, like you did for the first sixteen years of my life?" Katy threw at her viciously. She scowled at her mother as Ronnie recoiled at her words. "You don't even know who my father is! Don't you dare start judging me now!"

The brunette stalked out of the room and slammed the door behind her, leaving her mother and aunt carefully avoiding meeting each other's eyes and doing their best to pretend that she hadn't left an incredibly tense atmosphere in her wake.


	91. Chapter 91

The first Monday in September found Ruby dressed in her brand new school uniform and all ready for her first day at Walford Primary. Katy was more nervous than her daughter as they walked to the school with Roxy and Amy and waited in the playground for the morning bell to be rung. After leaving Amy with her new Year 2 teacher, both women walked Ruby round to the Reception door, swinging her hands between them.

"Where's Amy?" Ruby asked as they neared the doorway, around which a crowd was gathered.

"She's in her classroom, baby." Katy explained. "You'll see her later."

"Oh…"

Slightly anxiously, they made their way to the door and handed the little girl over to her new teacher. The woman smiled warmly and showed her where to hang her things, before instructing Ruby to wave to Mummy and closing the door.

Suddenly bereft, Katy turned to Roxy with a small smile. "That was less painful than I imagined. At least she didn't cry!"

"Amy cried every morning for about a month."

"Thank god Ruby's a bit tougher… I wouldn't be able to cope with that… I'd be taking her home with me!"

"She'll be fine." Roxy assured her niece, pushing her arm through the brunette's and pulling her along the road. "Are you working today?"

"Yeah, of course I am. Are you?"

"Mmm… I'm covering the stall for Mas so he can look after Shabnam."

Katy nodded slowly, feeling a pang of sympathy for the older woman. She didn't particularly get on with Shabnam, but she knew how much what she was going through would hurt. They headed back to the Square slowly, each of them buried in their own thoughts.

Before they'd left that morning, Charlie had told Katy that Dot was being released sometime that morning. The young woman was thrilled at the prospect of her grandmother returning home and planned to go and see her as soon as she returned. She felt guilty that she hadn't been to visit Dot for a couple of weeks, but her stepfather had said that Dot understood she was busy and sent her love.

Separating in the gardens, Katy headed straight for Dot's house and knocked on the door. She beamed as Carol let her in, telling her that the elderly woman was in the living room. Ronnie, Abi and Fatboy were already in the room with Dot and Katy smiled at them, before pressing a kiss to her grandmother's cheek.

"Hey, Grandma, how're you? It's good to see you home."

"Thank you, Katy, dear. Your mother was just telling me Ruby started school this morning."

The brunette beamed and nodded, pulling out her phone and showing her the photograph she'd taken of her elder daughter that morning. "She barely gave me a second thought when we got there."

"Oh, how lovely." Dot cooed at the photograph. "And how are you? You've lost weight."

Katy chuckled. "I guess I have…"

"_I'll see everyone later… bye!_" Ronnie called from the hall, before disappearing through the front door.

Katy arched an eyebrow at Charlie, who was looking unimpressed, before kneeling beside Abi on the floor and accepting a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

"_Cake, Mrs B?_" Fats asked as he cut her a slice. "_It's vanilla sponge; your favourite._"

"_Tina and Sonia made it… they're gonna pop in at lunchtime._" Carol said, passing the plate along. "_And Ian and Jane._"

Dot rolled her eyes. "_I don't want all this fuss about me. I wanna know what's been going on round here. For instance, Max… what's happening with him?_"

Everyone instantly felt uneasy, no one meeting each other's eyes. Katy was willing the baby monitor on the table to make a sound so that she had an excuse to leave the room and go upstairs.

"_It's down to the lawyers now, so… we'll just leave it at that, shall we?_"

"_Looks like it's gonna be one in, one out._" Abi added callously.

"_Abi…_"

"_What?_" She demanded. "_I'm the one that's gonna have to stand up in court and tell everyone that my dad's a killer_."

"_Oh, for heaven's sake…_"

"I still don't buy it." Katy muttered, shaking her head. "Max isn't a murderer."

"You would know, wouldn't you?" Abi shot back. "Seeing as you know him so well."

The older girl rolled her eyes and huffed irritably. "Oh, give it a rest, Abi. You're like a broken record."

"_Shall we change the subject, yeah?_" Charlie suggested, talking over the blonde's retort. "_Fats… how about that cake…?_"

"_Yeah…_"

"_Have you got any matches, Arthur?_" Dot asked as her lighter failed to work.

"_Yeah… one minute, I'll find 'em._"

"_No, no… I'll manage._" Dot told him quickly. "_I mean… this is my house, in case you'd forgotten._"

"_Why don't you go and get Matthew down?_" Carol suggested Charlie as Dot left the room.

He shook his head. "_I would, but he's teething, bless him, so better let him sleep while he can._"

"Where are the twins?" Katy asked, licking the remnants of cake off her fingers and looking at her stepfather expectantly.

"They fell asleep in their pram in the kitchen."

"I'd better get to work. I'll catch you all later."

Retrieving her daughters from the kitchen and calling goodbye to her grandmother as she went, Katy manoeuvred the pram through the back door and headed towards the R&R. She managed to get half an hour of paperwork done, before Sophie woke up grizzling. The second Katy undid the straps and lifted her out, Jessica woke up as well.

Sighing, the young woman put Sophie back into the seat and pushed the pram back out of her office. Tom helped her carry the pram back up the steps and, after thanking him distractedly, the young woman started pushing her wailing daughters through the streets of Walford in the hopes that they would fall asleep again.

She was just heading along Bridge Street, towards the Launderette, when she spotted her grandmother heading through the door purposefully. Frowning, knowing that it would almost be time for her Parole Officer to arrive, Katy paused outside. Making up her mind quickly, she unbuckled Jessica and Sophie, asked Pam to watch the pram, before going inside.

"Grandma?"

"Oh… Katy… I wanted a couple of minutes to myself." Dot told her, jumping slightly at the unexpected appearance of the young woman.

"Sorry… we can go if you want?"

The elderly woman shook her head. "No, no… come in."

Dot put out her cigarette and accepted Sophie onto her lap as Katy carried the twins through into the back room. The two women looked at each other for a moment, before smiling. Handing Sophie to her great-grandmother as well, Katy flicked the switch on the kettle and made them both a cup of tea.

"Can I…?"

"What's wrong?" Dot asked as Katy settled Sophie on her lap once more, sensing immediately that there was something she wanted to talk to her about. "Is it the girls?"

Katy shook her head. "No."

"Then what is it? Something's obviously bothering you."

"I found out that Mum lied to me about who my dad is." The young woman admitted, wrapping one hand around her mug and staring into it broodingly. "She doesn't know who he is, so she told everyone it was Joel to make it easier."

"Oh…" Dot looked at her carefully, obviously trying to get her head around how the younger woman was feeling about the information. While she didn't look particularly upset, Dot guessed that it was affecting her more than she was letting on. "How did you find out?"

"I went to see Joel about a month ago… I wanted to see what he was like. He told me that he couldn't possibly be my father, because he and Mum broke up over a year before I was born." Katy sighed. "Roxy and I were talking about it and… we suddenly wondered whether Archie…"

"And?"

"No." Katy assured her, feeling relief coursing through her as she did every time she remembered that. "Archie's not my dad."

"So Ronnie doesn't know?"

The younger woman shook her head. "She says not."

"What are you going to do? Are you going to try and find out who your father is?"

"How can I?" Katy asked with a sigh. "If Mum doesn't have any idea who he was… how am I supposed to track him down? Where would I start, Grandma?"

"I don't know." Dot admitted softly.

"_Dot? Dot are you in here?_" Ian's voice met their ears from the door of the Launderette.

"I'll leave you to it." Katy told her with a smile, standing up and balancing Sophie on her hip. Dot lifted Jessica onto the young woman's other hip with a grateful smile. "I'll speak to you later, OK?"


	92. Chapter 92

Ruby was full of stories about school in her first week. By the time it got to Friday, however, Katy had to break the news that she would be having two days at home, before going back on Monday. The older Mitchell was astonished at how much her little daughter loved school and how upset she was that she couldn't go in on Saturday.

Reaching up to the cupboard above the kettle, Katy winced. Grabbing the box of painkillers and managing to open it with one hand, the brunette rubbed the small of her back hard. Filling a glass with water, she popped two of the pills out of the packet and swallowed them quickly.

"You still got that pain?" Ronnie asked worriedly, watching her daughter.

Katy nodded. "Yeah… it's weird. It was in my stomach, but it seems to have moved round to my back."

"Take it easy, sweetheart." Her mother advised gently. "You're working too hard… you've probably hurt yourself lifting crates or boxes or something. You've lost a lot of weight recently, too… you need to take a break."

"Maybe…" With a shrug, Katy replaced the painkillers in the cupboard and turned to lean against the counter, watching her mother carefully. "Where were you earlier, anyway?"

"Nowhere important." Ronnie replied evasively.

"Mum?"

"I was helping Phil with something."

Katy arched an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest. "Charlie phoned me like five times to ask if I'd seen you."

"I was busy."

"I'm not your personal assistant… you know I don't like Charlie much. Next time can you please answer his calls so he doesn't bug me?" The brunette requested.

Ronnie sighed deeply and nodded. "Sorry…"

"What's going on, Mum?" Katy demanded.

"Nothing."

Narrowing her eyes as she spotted something strange, the younger Mitchell darted forward and grasped her mother's hand. "Where's your wedding ring?"

"I lost it." Ronnie replied bluntly.

"You lost it?" Her daughter repeated incredulously.

"Yeah, I lost it."

"Right…" Not believing her for a second, Katy shrugged. "I thought I'd go and see Jack this weekend. He phoned the other day to speak to Ruby about school… I thought he'd like to see her and the twins."

Fixing her daughter with a searching gaze, the blonde didn't answer for a long time. Then she nodded slowly. "I'm sure that will be nice."

"Is that OK?"

Ronnie nodded firmly. "Yeah, I think you should go and visit Jack this weekend."

Katy narrowed her eyes, instantly suspicious. "What's going on? Why are you so keen to get rid of us this weekend?"

"I never want to get rid of you." Her mother assured her firmly. "I just think you should take the girls to visit Jack."

"Hmmm…" Katy was unconvinced, but she wasn't in the mood to argue it out with her mother.

Instead she left the kitchen to pack some things for her and her daughters and then headed downstairs and loading the twins into their pram, calling for Ruby to come and put her coat on. Ronnie leant in the kitchen doorway watching for a moment, before jingling a set of keys in her direction.

"Let me drive you."

"Are those Phil's keys?" Katy asked with a frown. "Why have you got them? Won't he go nuts?"

"He gave them to me." Ronnie replied calmly. "Come on. You look exhausted… you can't catch the tube like this."

Nodding gratefully, Katy allowed her mother to push the twins out of the house and round to where she had parked her stepbrother's car. They loaded the three little girls into the back in their car seats before folding the pram and putting it into the boot. By the time they had climbed into the front, Charlie was returning from the walk he had taken Matthew on after getting fed up of waiting for his wife to come home.

Not sparing them a second glance, Ronnie started the car and drove away around the Square, before pulling out onto the main road and heading towards her ex-husband's house. Katy watched her for a moment, wondering whether to say anything or not. Huffing irritably, Ronnie sent her a sideways look, knowing exactly what her daughter was debating bringing up.

"It's not Matthew's fault his dad's a dick."

Ronnie chuckled. "I know. I love Matthew, I really do."

"I know that but… you don't act like it sometimes."

"It's hard." Her mother admitted, returning her gaze to the road. "After James, I…"

"Matthew's fine, Mum. I'm fine. You're not going to lose anyone."

Reaching out, Ronnie took her daughter's hand in hers and held on tightly. "I'd better not."

"Mum…" Katy chewed her lip. "Can you remember anything about my father?"

The blonde sighed deeply. "Why is it so important?"

"I just… I want to know…"

There was a long pause as Ronnie considered what, if anything, to tell her daughter. She really couldn't remember much about the man who'd got her pregnant and she wasn't sure whether to tell Katy the little that she could remember. Ronnie didn't see how it would serve any purpose at all, other than making the younger woman more and more curious about something she couldn't really help her with.

"He… he had a denim jacket with JB on the collar in black thread." She smiled weakly. "He put it round my shoulders when we were walking back to his place."

"Initials?" Katy asked hopefully.

Ronnie shrugged. "I don't know, sweetheart. I'm sorry."

"Can you remember anything else?"

"He talked about the film _Wayne's World_ a lot…" She laughed. "He asked if I'd seen it and seemed shocked when I hadn't."

"_Wayne's World_?" Katy raised her eyebrows and smirked. "Wow…"

"That's all I can remember. If I knew anything else…."

Reaching over, the younger woman squeezed her mother's hand on the gear stick. "Thank you."

* * *

><p>Ronnie stayed for a cup of tea at Jack's, which turned into staying for dinner. It was only takeaway pizza, but having her parents and daughters sitting around eating together and having a laugh made Katy feel ridiculously happy. She listened as Jack and Ronnie good-naturedly bickered and teased each other, laughing loudly as her mother pouted at something her ex-husband said.<p>

"Come on then, munchkins, bed time." She announced finally, standing up and nodding towards the living room door.

Ruby pouted at her, before throwing her arms around Ronnie's neck and kissing her goodnight. Then she hugged Jack tightly too, before skipping out of the room in the direction of the spare bedroom she always slept in when they stayed over at Jack's. Katy scooped up her younger daughter's and held them close to her parents so they could say goodnight too, before leaving the room.

Bath time went quickly and, by the time all three were in their pyjamas and tucked up ready for their bedtime story, all three girls were having to work very hard not to fall asleep. Katy read them a book but, by the time she reached the fourth page, they were all snoring softly. With a fond smile, she left the room.

Ronnie and Jack were still where she'd left them when she returned to the front room. Wondering how long her mother intended to stay, Katy offered to make coffee, which both her parents accepted gratefully.

It was a lot later when Ronnie finally slipped out of her armchair and announced she had to go. Katy looked at the time and suggested she stayed over, offering to share her bed with her mother if she didn't fancy the sofa, but Ronnie said she needed to get home to Matthew. Following her to the font door, Jack and Katy stood together on the doorstep to wave her off. Wrapping his arm around his daughter's shoulders, Jack pressed a kiss to the side of Katy's head as they watched Phil's car disappearing round the corner.


	93. Chapter 93

Saturday morning consisted of cereal and cartoons curled up together on the sofa. It was a lazy day, with nothing much happening and none of them moving very far until the middle of the afternoon when Jack decided that they should probably move a little further than the kitchen and the bathroom.

Complaining as much as her eldest daughter, Katy shrieked as Jack dragged her off the sofa and she fell in a heap at his feet. Her daughters giggled wildly at the sight of the brunette on the carpet, before Jack clapped his hands and spurred them into action.

They ventured down to the park, taking almost half a loaf of bread with them, in order to feed the ducks. Katy leant on the handles of the buggy while Jack swung Ruby up onto his shoulders. They had done two laps of the pond before they stopped on the grass and Katy unstrapped the twins so that they could go and throw bread into the water.

"Jack!" Katy shielded her eyes with one hand at the sound of someone calling her stepfather. "Long time, no see, buddy!"

"Steve!" Jack laughed, holding out his hand to shake the other man's. "How are you, mate?"

"Same old, same old. Who's this, then?"

Stepping closer to Katy and swinging Ruby onto his hip, he indicated towards the brunette on the grass with her twins sitting either side of her. "Steve, this is my daughter, Katy and her daughters, Ruby, Jessica and Sophie."

"Nice to meet you."

Smiling weakly, Katy reached out and shook the proffered hand. "You too."

She watched as Jack and his friend talked for a little while, before standing up and carrying the twins over to the edge of the pond. Setting them down gently, she called Ruby over and encouraged the older girl to help her sisters feed the ducks. Katy laughed softly as Jessica shoved the chunk of bread Ruby gave her into her mouth instead of throwing it into the water.

Minutes later, Jack joined them, crouching down beside them and putting his arm around Jessica, pulling her closer. "You are OK with me introducing you as my daughter, aren't you?"

"Of course." Katy agreed with a shrug. "I am... pretty much."

"Ronnie told me that you saw Joel."

"She did?"

He nodded, watching the ripples over the surface of the pond instead of looking at the young woman. "Yeah… she was worried she's not enough for you anymore. She thinks that it has something to do with Charlie and Matthew."

"That's stupid." Katy told him. "She's my mum. I don't like Charlie, but Matthew's my brother. I'm not jealous. I was just curious."

"Can we have ice cream, Grandpa?" Ruby asked, breaking the moment between the adults.

"Of course we can have ice cream!" Jack agreed at once, grabbing hold of the four-year-old and swinging her up in the air with one arm while keeping hold of Jessica with the other.

Ruby giggled and struggled in his grip as he lifted both girls and started to run back up the slope to where they'd left the buggy. Grinning, Katy held Sophie against her hip and followed them more slowly. By the time she reached them, Jessica was already strapped in and Ruby was raring to go to the booth near the entrance to the park where they sold ice cream.

* * *

><p>When the three girls had been put to bed that night, Jack told Katy to choose a film while he did the washing up after dinner. She flicked through his collection slowly, stopping as she came to a DVD case with a familiar title. Pulling it off the shelf, she looked at it curiously for a couple of moments.<p>

"Wayne's World?" Jack asked, arching an eyebrow at her.

"Yeah… is it good?"

"I loved it when it came out." He replied with a chuckle, taking the case from her and opening it. "It's a modern classic."

"Mum said my father loved it… apparently he talked about it a lot that night…"

"Man's got good taste." Jack said. "And not just in films."

Settling back on the sofa, Katy curled her legs up underneath her and watched the film in silence. Jack was clearly enjoying it and Katy found herself laughing too, more at her stepfather's amusement than anything else. It was a good film, she decided, but it was definitely dated. That didn't mean that she had enjoyed it any less, though.

When the credits rolled, she yawned and stretched, glancing sideways at Jack. "That was good."

"Yeah, it's one of my favourite–" He broke off suddenly, frowning at her. "Katy? Your nose is bleeding."

"Oh…"

Raising her hand, Katy touched her nostril and realised that he was right. "Oh… that's weird."

Jack passed her a tissue, before hesitating and passing over the entire box. Dabbing at her nose, Katy frowned and shook her head, wondering what had caused the bleed. It seemed to be stopping, so she held a balled up tissue under her nose for a couple of minutes, before standing up and moving to throw the tissues into the bin.

"Are you OK?" Jack asked seriously.

"Of course. It's just a nose bleed."

"Have you had many?"

She shrugged. "A couple, maybe… but it's nothing. I went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago and she said there's nothing to be worried about."

"You obviously thought there was, if you went to the doctor."

"I wanted to see whether I was anaemic or something because I'm always tired. She did a blood test and asked me some questions, but she said it was probably nothing… just the result of three children under five." Katy assured him. "Honestly, Jack, I'm absolutely fine."

Kissing him on the forehead, the young woman made her way upstairs and got ready for bed. She peeked in on her daughters, smiling gently as she saw that all three were fast asleep. Closing the door, she retreated to her own bedroom and climbed under the duvet, staring up at the ceiling through the darkness.

It was true what she'd told Jack. She had been to the doctor and she had been told that it was probably nothing to be worried about. What she hadn't told him was that the doctor had also examined an enlarged gland in her armpit and referred her to hospital for a biopsy, just to rule out anything serious.

Doctor Ellis had said that she would phone as soon as the results came back, so Katy had been on tenterhooks every time the phone rang for almost two weeks. So far she hadn't heard anything and so the young woman was hoping that there was nothing to be worried about. Until she found out anything to the contrary there was no point saying anything to anyone else.


	94. Chapter 94

_**A/N: Katy's going to get some very bad news in this chapter and, from now on it's only going to get worse.**_

_**x**_

* * *

><p>"Katy, have you got a second?" Tom asked, learning round the office door on Monday morning and smiling wryly at her.<p>

"What's up?" She asked with a nod, glancing up from her accounts.

"There's a problem with the delivery." He replied with a sigh. "The jackass with the clipboard won't listen to me."

Exhaling sharply, Katy nodded and headed out of the office and up their stairs that led to the street. She quickly discerned the cause of the problem and pointed out that, in no uncertain terms, the fault was on their side and not hers. The discussion descended into an argument which only reached a conclusion when Vincent appeared and reprimanded the delivery man for the way he was treating the young woman.

Brushing him aside and pointing out that she didn't need protecting, Katy answered her ringing mobile without checking who was calling.

"Katy? It's Doctor Ellis."

"Oh… hi." The young woman's face paled and she headed quickly back to her office, closing the door and slumping down on the sofa. "You've got my results."

"I have… do you think you could come into the surgery so we can discuss them?"

"Now?"

"If possible."

Katy felt sick. She knew that the doctor would only want her to go in urgently if it was bad news. Swallowing thickly she stood up and grabbed her bag from beside the door. Letting herself out of the office, she locked the door behind her and jogged up the stairs.

"I'm on my way."

It took a couple of minutes for the young woman to stride through Albert Square to the surgery. The receptionist waved her straight through to the doctor's room when she arrived. Katy raised her hand to knock, but hesitated, the heavy feeling still in her stomach as she breathed deeply. Closing her eyes, her knuckles finally made contact with the wooden door.

"Katy? Come in and have a seat." The doctor said kindly, indicating the chair opposite her desk.

Biting her lip, the brunette sat down, twisting her hands nervously in her lap. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"I'm really sorry to have to tell you this, Katy, but during the biopsy on your lymph node they discovered some suspicious cells." A long silence followed her announcement as the young woman tried to get her head around what would happen next. "I want to send you to the hospital for some more tests; blood tests and a bone marrow biopsy and scans."

"OK… is it… am I dying?"

"Until we know more…" Doctor Ellis told her gently.

"What do you think it is?"

"I suspect it could be leukaemia, which is why I want to refer you for these tests as soon as possible so that we can confirm, or rule out, that."

Katy bit her lip again, feeling hot tears welling up in her eyes. "When… when can they do these tests?"

"I've made some calls and explained that you've got young children. The haematologist can see you this afternoon."

"Right… OK."

In all honesty Katy was feeling completely numb. She couldn't process that she had just been told that she had leukaemia. It didn't make sense to her.

As the doctor talked, telling her what would probably happen when she went to the hospital, Katy did her best to listen. She didn't really take in any of what the woman was saying, however, thinking about the logistics of everything instead. What would happen to her daughters if she died? How would her family take the news?

Leaving the surgery with all the information she needed for her appointment with the haematologist that afternoon, Katy went back to work. Wordlessly she settled herself behind her desk and carried on with the accounts until she realised that she would have to leave if she was going to make it to her appointment on time.

On the way to the hospital, she sent her aunt a text, asking her to pick up Ruby. Luckily, Roxy didn't question why Katy wasn't able to pick up her own daughter from school, agreeing instantly. Then the young woman phoned Walford Primary to let them know who would be collecting the little girl.

Sitting in the waiting area was horrible. Katy did her best to avoid looking at any of the other patients, feeling uncomfortable enough as it was. She still couldn't believe that she was there, facing tests to establish just how ill she actually was. When, finally, her name was called, the brunette took a deep breath before following the nurse into the office.

She listened wordlessly as the haematologist flicked through her notes, telling her that the blood test she'd had before had indicated that she had a very low white blood cell count and they needed to see whether there had been any change. Then the doctor outlined the other tests that he wanted her to have.

"So if you're ready we can take you down to radiography and–"

"I'm having the tests today?" Katy asked, slightly surprised.

"The sooner we can get samples the sooner we can work out what's going on and start treatment." The doctor told her with a smile. "Don't worry, you won't need to be admitted. The bone marrow tests only require a local anaesthetic so you will be able to go home later."

"What… what does that… how…?"

Smiling sympathetically, the doctor outlined how they would take a sample of her bone marrow. They would need two samples, he informed her, although they could both be taken during the same procedure. Nodding weakly, Katy agreed, before the nurse re-entered the room to take her down to the radiography department for a chest x-ray.

It took several hours for all of the tests to be completed. While the bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy only took less than twenty minutes and were done under a local anaesthetic, Katy still swore that she could feel the needle going into her hip and drawing out the sample. While the nurse put a dressing over the sight, the young woman looked away, unable to bear looking at it.

After being told that they would contact her as soon as the results were in, but that it would take several days, Katy was allowed to go home. She thanked the doctor and nurses, leaving the hospital quickly. Her journey back to Walford seemed to take forever but, before she knew it, she was putting her key into the lock of her front door and letting herself in.

"Where've you been?" Ronnie asked, slightly irritably as she bounced a grizzly Matthew in her arms.

"Sorry… I had a meeting. I completely forgot about it." She held out her arms and took her brother from her harassed-looking mother. "Sorry."


	95. Chapter 95

There was a knock on the front door a couple of hours later. Yawning, Katy padded along the hall and opened it, peering out to see who was standing on the doorstep. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in surprise at the sight of her best friend.

"Lauren!" She exclaimed, before pulling the heavily pregnant young woman into a tight hug. "Oh my god I've missed you. Come in." Ushering her into the living room, Katy turned off the television and smiled at her friend. "Tell me what you've been up to. I want to hear everything!"

"My dad's trial starts tomorrow." Lauren said shortly.

Katy bit her lip. "I know… I'm sorry. I was planning to go if I could get someone to watch the twins."

"Don't you feel the slightest bit guilty that he could go down for this?"

"Why should I feel guilty?" Katy asked with a frown. "I didn't do anything… I didn't drop him in it."

"But…"

The older girl leant forward and squeezed her friend's arm. "Lauren… I know it's hard, but if… Max is innocent, so they won't be able to send him down."

"Do you know something?" Lauren demanded, her eyes roving over Katy's face almost desperately.

She shook her head. "No, I don't know what happened to Lucy. I just know it wasn't Max. He was with me… like I told them. Apparently they don't believe me, or they think he could have gone out while I was asleep, or something. I tried, Lauren… I tried to get them to believe me, but they wouldn't."

"Thank you."

"Hey, it's OK…" Katy hugged her tightly. "Where are you staying tonight? You need to take care of yourself. You can stay here, if you want?"

"No, you're alright. I'm going to stay at Aunty Carol's."

"Really?" Katy arched an eyebrow. "I don't mind sharing if you want."

"No, it's OK. All my stuff's there anyway, so…"

The front door banged loudly and both young women looked in the direction of the living room door, waiting to see who had entered. Katy frowned as loud footsteps and the slamming of an upstairs door met her ears. Biting her lip, she looked at Lauren, who nodded understandingly.

"I'll catch you tomorrow. I've got birthday presents for the girls."

"Definitely. I'm planning on coming to the trial, so…"

"I'll see you there."

Nodding, Katy followed her friend out into the hallway. They both stopped abruptly at that sight of Matthew asleep in his pushchair at the bottom of the stairs. Glancing upwards, towards the source of the slamming they'd heard before, Katy sighed. She smiled weakly at Lauren, before letting her out of the house and closing the door firmly behind her.

Gently undoing the straps and lifting her little brother out, Katy cradled him carefully and carried him up the stairs towards the bedroom that he shared with Sophie and Jessica. Finding her daughters fast asleep, Katy gently changed Matthew into his pyjamas, showing her skill as he didn't even stir, before tucking him into his cot.

Checking that the girls' blankets were tucked around them securely, Katy pulled the door to and walked slowly down the hallway. She hesitated outside her mother's room, before raising her hand and knocking softly. There was no answer, so she tried again, calling out in a low voice as well.

"Mum? Can I come in?"

The door was thrown open, much to the brunette's surprise, revealing several cardboard boxes and an open suitcase on the double bed. Katy frowned in bemusement, looking around at the piles of clothes and shoes and various other items that had been displaced.

"You going somewhere?"

"Not me…" Ronnie motioned for her daughter to come in and sit on the only available space on the bed, before continuing to throw things into boxes. "I told Charlie our marriage is over. I'm packing up his things. I want him out of my life."

Katy frowned. She wasn't unhappy about it, but she didn't understand what had happened to prompt it. "Mum… why…?"

"I spent this afternoon with someone who… they made me realise that I shouldn't put up with a relationship that makes me unhappy."

"Who?" Katy chewed her lip. "Vincent?"

"What are you…? No. How do you know about Vincent?"

"I know everything." Her daughter replied simply, a smirk playing around her lips as her mother fixed her with a narrow-eyed stare; clearly trying to work out how she knew. "So? Is it because of him?"

"No." Ronnie replied firmly. "It's definitely not about Vincent. Like I said, I don't want him around me, us, anymore."

"I'm not upset about it, but isn't this a bit sudden? I thought you were all for making it work?"

"It can't work. It's over." She threw a couple of shirts into the suitcase angrily. "Are you going to help me or what?"

Nodding slowly, Katy moved to the chest of drawers and started pulling her stepfather's clothes out. They kept going until all traces of Charlie had been removed from the room. Katy was slightly amused by her mother's determination to completely obliterate the man from her life, wondering how it would work considering they shared a child.

x-x

The next morning, Katy's plans to go to court for Max's trial were foiled when she received a phone call to let her know that the nursery was closed because of a burst pipe. Apparently Ronnie was too busy to look after her granddaughters and so, after dropping Ruby and Amy off at school, Katy headed home with the one-year-old twins in tow.

"Can you watch Matthew for a minute?" Ronnie asked as soon as her daughter walked through the front door. "I want to take some of Charlie's things round to Dot's."

"D'you want me to take them?" Katy offered, unstrapping Sophie from the pram and balancing her on her hip.

"No, I think it's better if I do it."

Shrugging, the younger woman carried her daughter into the living room and set her down on the rug in front of the television, before walking back into the hall to lift Jessica out of the pram as well. After telling her that Matthew had had his milk and was happy in his bouncer, the blonde let herself out of the house with a small box of her husband's things.

Ronnie was a lot quicker than Katy had anticipated. She had barely made herself a cup of tea when the front door banged open and then slammed again. At once, a chorus of cries sounded from the living room and the brunette closed her eyes tiredly, rubbing a hand over her face. Ronnie had the good grace to look apologetic as they met in the front room.

"Sorry… I forgot…"

"You're back quickly."

Her mother nodded, lifting her son out of the bouncer and soothing him hastily. Katy distracted her daughters skilfully by turning on CBeebies. They instantly focused on the bright colours and soothing music of the programme that was on. Ronnie smiled and set Matthew back down, his eyes immediately drawn to the television as well.

Moving back into the kitchen, Katy made her mother a cup of tea and perched on a stool at the breakfast bar, tilting her head inquisitively and hoping that Ronnie was about to tell her what had happened over at Dot's house. As the older Mitchell started telling her about Charlie suggesting they went to counselling sessions, Katy started laughing, unable to imagine her mother bearing her soul to a therapist anymore than she could imagine doing it herself.

"But Dot definitely knows we're over now." Ronnie said with a sigh. "She was going in as I was leaving."

"Hadn't Charlie told her?"

"No…"

"Coward." Katy muttered, shaking her head and taking a sip of her drink.


	96. Chapter 96

Standing in the playground of Walford Primary, Katy narrowed her eyes as she spotted her cousin skipping across the yard holding Charlie's hand. They approached, Amy pulling away from the man to run towards them, throwing herself at Katy's legs. The young woman grinned and scooped her into a hug, pressing a kiss to her head. Wriggling to be put down, Amy grabbed hold of Ruby's hand and they scampered away in the direction of the play equipment.

"What are you doing here?" Katy muttered, sending her stepfather a dark look.

"Roxy needed someone to bring Amy to school… I didn't hear you offering."

"She never asked." The young woman retorted immediately. "Of course I'd have brought Amy if she'd asked."

"So… I can just go."

Katy grabbed Amy's bags out of his hands and glared at him. "Yeah, piss off. We don't need you. Mum doesn't need you, Amy doesn't need you and Roxy definitely doesn't need you. Stay away from my family."

He chuckled. "I'm not giving in. I want access to my son."

"Good luck."

Turning away, the Mitchell called Amy and Ruby and waited for them to run down the grass slope and the concrete playground to catch up with her. She walked them round to the infant playground ready to go into school as soon as the bell rang for the start of the day. She completely ignored Charlie, who was still watching them.

Smiling and waving the girls into class, Katy headed out around the front of the school, instead of going round the back and risking running into her stepfather. She didn't want to speak to him and knew that he was almost definitely intending to try and ambush her on her way home. Pulling out her mobile, she called Ronnie and told her about the meeting, before thanking her again for watching the twins while she went to the club and got as much work done as possible, so that she could take the following day off to go to Max's trial. Her mother couldn't really understand why Katy wanted to be there, but she did understand that Katy wanted to be there for Lauren.

Getting her head down as soon as she got to the office, Katy managed to power through her list of jobs for the next couple of days. She was just pouring through the accounts, double checking her maths when her phone alarm sounded, reminding her that she had an appointment at the hospital in a couple of hours. Sighing, the young woman gathered her things and decided to head home after picking Ruby up, in the hopes that Ronnie would watch her daughters.

Heading home with Ruby and Amy, after receiving a text from her aunt as she arrived at the school, Katy listened to them both chatting about their days. It seemed that her daughter still loved being in Reception, although Amy was less than impressed at the increased workload that she was faced with in Year 2. As she disgustedly told Katy about her maths lesson that morning – learning about angles and the technical names for corners on 2 dimensional shapes – the six-year-old screwed up her face.

"Go and get changed and I'll find you some crisps, OK?" Katy bargained as she let them into the house she shared with her mother.

They both rushed up the stairs, while Katy walked towards the kitchen. She was unable to miss the conversation between her mother and aunt that was happening in the living room. Pausing in the doorway, the brunette listened with her head tilted to one side.

"_Did he tell you he's threatening me with custody?_"

"_Well what was he supposed to do? Just give up?_"

"_Sorry… are you on Charlie's side now?_" Ronnie demanded.

"_No, I just… I can see where he's coming from, you know? He's just found out his wife's been having it off with another bloke._" Roxy replied, turning to look at her sister. Her eyes fell on her niece in the doorway and she sighed, causing Ronnie to turn around as well.

Katy shrugged. "I know."

Roxy rolled her eyes. "Course you do."

"_And when did he tell you that?_" Ronnie asked her sister, acting as though there had been no interruption in their conversation.

"_And now you're telling him he can't see his son… I mean, I think I'd be angry as well._" The younger blonde ignored the question.

"_I never said that he couldn't see him._"

Roxy exhaled sharply and shifted slightly. "_Look, Ron… Charlie's a decent guy._" She paused as her niece snorted in disagreement, shooting the brunette a look. "_You'd be mad to chuck him._"

"_Really? Well if he's that perfect why don't you have another go at him?_" Ronnie suggested bluntly.

"_I'm thinking about Matthew, OK, does he not deserve a dad?_"

"I don't, apparently." Katy muttered, earning herself a pair of identical scowls.

"_Look, I never said–_"

"_How is a custody battle in anyone's interests? 'Cos even if you win, let me tell you something; you still lose_." Roxy told her sister firmly. "_So does everyone… most of all Matthew._" They all looked at the little boy in his bouncer, reaching out to take hold of his aunt's bracelets. "_Call him… just call him._"

Shaking her head, Katy left the room as she heard footsteps on the stairs, signalling that her daughter and cousin were coming in search of the promised snack. She took them into the kitchen and took two packets of crisps out of the cupboard, telling them to go back upstairs and play in Ruby's room. When Amy asked why, pouting slightly as she was told what to do, Katy informed her that Ronnie was making an important phone call and needed quiet.

Just as they started back up the stairs, the second alarm on her mobile that was to remind her about her appointment went off. Katy silenced it quickly, biting her lip and looking at the time. Heading for the front door, she poked her head into the living room.

"I've got a meeting with some possible new promoters for the club." Katy told her quickly, glancing at her watch. "Can you watch the girls, please?"

"How long are you going to be?"

"Not long, hopefully… I should be back in time for dinner. I'll ring you if I'm running late." She frowned. "I'm sorry, Mum… I've got to go."

She was still late by the time she arrived at the hospital, however. The receptionist sent her an understanding smile and told her that the doctor was running slightly late, too, and she would call her as soon as he was ready to speak to her. Taking a seat on one of the hard, plastic chairs in the waiting room, Katy twisted her hands in her lip nervously.

"Miss Mitchell?"

Smiling weakly, Katy gathered her bag and followed the nurse into the office. "Hi… so… what's new?"

"I'm sorry to say that your leukaemia is far more advanced than we imagined." The doctor informed her as gently as he could. "It seems that you have a form known as Acute Myeloid Leukemia."

"How bad is it?"

"The outlook is generally very good. About 60% of people your age who are diagnosed with AML will live for at least five years after their diagnosis. Although yours seems to be more advanced than we suspected, with an aggressive course of treatment–"

"Chemotherapy?"

"Yes." He nodded. "You'll have three or four cycles of treatment, using at least two chemotherapy drugs. Between each cycle you'll have a rest period of between four and six weeks when you'll be able to go home. Each cycle usually lasts–"

"Wait? I'll be able to go home? That means that while I'm having it I'll have to stay in hospital?" Katy demanded, shaking her head. "I can't… I have three children and…"

"It's standard procedure for high doses of chemotherapy. It's more intensive, has more side affects and a higher chance of you contracting infections." The doctor explained.

Katy ran a hand through her hair, biting her lip as tears welled up in her eyes. "If I don't have it?"

"Then your prognosis wouldn't be good at all."

"Will it cure me?"

"Hopefully it'll put you into remission, but…" He sighed. "I'd also like to put you on the register for a bone marrow transplant. In your case I think there's a high risk that the cancer will come back, even after a high-dose of chemotherapy and a transplant will give you a better chance of recovery."

"It's really bad, then." Katy murmured.

The doctor nodded slowly. "I'm sorry."

Taking a deep breath, the young woman nodded, even as her chin wobbled. "When do we start?"

"We'll need to put a central line in, which is a tube inserted into a vein in your chest through which we'll deliver the chemotherapy drugs intravenously and also take blood samples. I can schedule you in on Monday and then we can start your treatment a couple of days later."

"Will I need to stay in on Monday?"

"We'll put you under anesthetic to put the line in, so it's best if you do. It means that you'll be here to start your treatment, too."

"Do I have to?" Katy asked, chewing her lip. "I mean, my kids…"

The specialist sighed. "If I can get you booked in for an early appointment we could have you in and out the same day, but I wouldn't advise–"

She nodded. "Do that, please."

"Miss Mitchell, I would advise that you–"

"I want to spend as little time in here as possible, OK?" She told him firmly. "I'll come in for my treatment, but I'm not staying here if it's not strictly necessary."

"OK… I'll see what I can do."

Nodding wordlessly, the young woman didn't know what else to say. She wasn't sure there was anything she could say at that point. She knew that, in order to have a chance at surviving, she needed to take the treatment, but she was absolutely terrified.

The doctor fixed her with a knowing look. "You haven't told your family about your illness, have you?"

Katy shook her head. "I don't know how to." She admitted. "My mum… she's already lost three children; she had a miscarriage and then my brother died of cot death and the girl she thought was her daughter was killed in a car accident. I just… I don't know how to tell her to prepare to lose another child."

"I'm not going to lie to you or give you false hope by saying that it's not likely to come to that. But it's better that she has time to prepare herself." He rubbed the back of his neck. "It's also a good idea if you make arrangements… in case."

Katy nodded slowly, making a mental note to get in touch with Ritchie Scott to discuss what would happen to her daughters if the worst came to the worst. She wanted both her mother and Jack to have a say and an input into the girls' lives, so she would have to work out with the legal professional the best way to ensure that.

"What about this transplant?"

"We'll have to wait until you're in remission, but we can use the bone marrow of a sibling. If no donor is found, we could test your parents to see if they would be a possible match. The last resort would be to search the NHS Transplant Registry to find a suitable match."

"I have a half-brother, but I'm not sure whether–"

"It's unlikely a half-brother would be a suitable match."

"Oh…" Katy nodded slowly. She had been about to say she wasn't sure whether Ronnie, let alone Charlie, would have agreed to Matthew being her donor anyway. "But that's a long way off… I've got to do the Chemo first, right?"

"Right." The doctor nodded, smiling at her. "If you speak to the woman at the desk she'll tell you when to come in on Monday."

"Thanks."

As Katy stood and made her way towards the door, he cleared his throat. "I would advise you to speak to your family about what's happening, Miss Mitchell."


	97. Chapter 97

Hailing a cab, Katy directed the driver towards Walford Crown Court. She sat back, staring at her messages and wondering why her best friend hadn't replied to her text about whether they could meet outside the building. Guessing that Lauren was already inside when she arrived and saw that she wasn't waiting, Katy paid the driver and walked into the Court.

Spotting Carol and Lauren, Katy made her way along the row and sat with her, smiling at her aunt. She fidgeted nervously as they waited for the Judge to appear and start the trial, twisting her hands in her lap and doing her best to appear calm. She knew that Carol was convinced that Max was guilty, as were most of the Square, but Katy just couldn't believe it.

"Hey!" Katy whispered, beaming at the tiny baby strapped to her best friend's chest. "Oh my god! Who's this little one."

"This," Lauren returned her broad smile, stroking her baby's head gently, "is your brand new godson, Louie."

"Well hello, Louie."

"All rise."

At once both of their attentions were focused on the happenings at the front of the courtroom. Max was brought in and taken to the dock just moments before the door at the back opened and the Judge appeared. They took their seats once more as Abi was brought in and stood in the witness box. She said the oath before meeting her family's eyes nervously.

"_Yours was a difficult childhood, would I not be right in saying, Miss Branning?_" Marcus Christie started.

"_Yes_." Abi agreed.

"_Your parents separated more than once?_"

"_Yes_."

"_Because of your father's numerous infidelities?_"

"_Yes_."

"_I'm sorry if this distresses you, Miss Branning, but it's important._" He said, almost gently, as Abi twisted her hands nervously. "_Lucy Beale was once a family friend?_"

The young woman nodded. "_Until this all happened, yeah._"

"_So when you discovered she was conducting an illicit affair with your father, you perhaps, quite understandably, grew angry and yesterday you chose to express that anger in the only way you know how._" There was a pause while Abi looked at her family, who sent her reassuring smiles in return. "_Now, whilst I'm sure the court will forgive your intemperate outburst, it's important to remember that your father is not on trial for adultery or being an inadequate father. He's on trial for murder. In the light of that, is there anything you'd like to say?_"

"_I'm… sorry for what I said yesterday. It wasn't true._"

"_No further questions._"

The Judge nodded. "_Miss Branning, you may stand down._"

He adjourned court for a break and they all stood as the Judge left the room. Katy chewed her lip as Max was taken away, defiantly looking down and refusing to meet their eyes. Following Carol and Lauren out of the courtroom, they went to meet Abi, before deciding to share a cab back to the Square.

Walking a little way away from Carol, Lauren and Abi, Katy bit her lip, before selecting a number from her contacts list. It rang a couple of times before the call was answered.

"Ritchie? It's Katy... Katherine Mitchell. I need to see you, urgently."

The woman on the other end of the call sounded confused. "Katherine? What's this about? Not the Lucy Beale murder case?"

"No, no." The brunette assured her quickly, walking a little further away from the others. "I need to… It's personal. Can you meet me today?"

"I suppose so… about half past five?"

"Perfect." Katy breathed a sigh of relief.

"Shall I come to yours or–?"

"No!" The relief quickly turned to panic at the thought of Ritchie coming to her house. "I'll meet you somewhere… the caf on Victoria Road."

"What exactly is this about, Katherine?" Ritchie pressed. "Are you in trouble?"

She shook her head, despite knowing that the older woman couldn't hear her. "No, no. I… I'm ill. Like… really ill. The doctor told me to… to get things in order. I need to talk to you about my girls."

There was another pause before Ritchie spoke. "OK… I'll see you at half past five."

"Thanks, Ritchie, but… don't mention this to anyone, please."

"Client confidentiality, Katherine."

"Thanks."

Hanging up, the young woman pushed her mobile back into her pocket and moved to stand with the others outside the courthouse once more. None of them mentioned the call she'd just made, obviously assuming it was something to do with the club, choosing to stay focused on the trial. As Carol hailed a cab, footsteps behind them made them all turn.

Marcus Christie, Max's lawyer, smiled around, before motioning for Katy to follow him back inside. Frowning, but telling the other's that they should head off and she'd catch up with them later, Katy followed him into the courthouse. Folding her arms and fixing him with a frown, the young woman waited to hear what he had to say.

"I want to call you as a witness for Max's defence." He told her bluntly. "I've already put in a petition to the Judge to call you as a late witness."

"What if I refuse?"

"Are you going to?"

Katy sighed and then shook her head. "I know he didn't do it. I can't stand by and watch him go down for something he didn't do."

"Is there anything I need to know?" He asked her, fixing the brunette with an all-knowing stare. "Anything that the prosecution could use against you?"

"I suppose you're aware that I had a fling with Max?"

"I am… and that he's the father of your younger daughters."

Wrinkling her nose, Katy shook her head. "He's not. I… I don't know what I was thinking, telling him that. He's not the twins' father."

"Have you got proof of that?"

"My mother did a DNA test, without my knowledge."

"Can you get hold of it?" Christie asked. "No doubt the prosecution will try to say that you're defending Max as the father of your children. If we can disprove that, it'll lend more weight to your evidence."

Katy bit her lip. "Can you warn Max first? I don't want him to find out in court in front of everyone."

He nodded. "I will. Is there anything else?"

"Not that I can think of."

Glancing at his watch, Christie nodded again. "I'll be in touch to let you know when you'll be called. Hopefully it'll be later today. It does mean that you won't be able to attend the trial until you're called."

"OK." Scribbling her number on a scrap of paper, she handed it to him. "I'll wait for your call."

Leaving the courthouse, Katy hailed a cab and got in. She tapped her nails on her mobile as she waited impatiently to arrive in the Square. As soon as she'd paid the driver, she headed straight into the café where she'd arranged to meet her solicitor.


	98. Chapter 98

Ritchie was already sitting at the table, waiting, when Katy arrived at the Victoria Road café that evening. Apologising, the younger woman slid into a seat and signalled to the teenage girl behind the counter that she wanted a coffee. While they waited, neither woman said anything, not wanting to be interrupted when the drink was brought over. As soon as it was placed on the table and Katy handed the girl a couple of pounds, telling her to keep the change, Ritchie cleared her throat.

"So, what can I do for you?" She asked, resting her elbows on the table and steepling her fingers.

"I need to know how I can make sure that Mum and Jack have joint custody of the girls when I die." Katy informed her practically.

"Is that inevitable?" Ritchie inquired, in an equally business-like tone.

"I have advanced Acute Myeloid Leukemia. I'm starting a course of high-dose Chemotherapy next week and my specialist wants to put me down for a bone marrow transplant if I go into remission, but…"

"I'm sorry." The older woman told her genuinely. "You seem to be handling it well, anyway?"

"You have no idea." Katy told her bitterly. "I just need to make sure the girls are OK. So what can I do?"

Ritchie nodded and flipped open her leather-bound notepad. "You definitely want Ronnie and Jack Branning to have joint guardianship of your daughters?"

"I do."

"It's simple, really. We'll put a clause in your will giving Veronica Mitchell and Jack Branning joint guardianship of your children."

"That simple?" Katy asked, frowning.

The older woman nodded again, scribbling something down on her notepad. "That simple. I can draw up a will and get it to you to sign by the end of the weekend. Is there anything else you want included?"

"I have nothing else…" The brunette replied with a shrug. "But… I don't want anyone else to know about this, especially my Mum. I haven't told them I'm ill, yet, so…"

Ritchie nodded slowly. "OK… I'll phone you on Sunday and we'll sort it out then."

Thanking her, Katy left the café and headed home. She let herself into the house and found her mother and aunt sitting on the sofa with a glass of wine each and the children nowhere to be seen. Frowning, she looked enquiringly at them.

Ronnie grinned and ushered her over to join them, while Roxy poured her a glass of wine. Looking between them, totally bemused, Katy opened her mouth to speak. Before she could, however, her mother held up her hands and scooted forward on the sofa.

"They're all in bed."

"What?" Katy couldn't believe her ears. "It's only quarter past six?"

"They're shattered. We took them to the park after school and they ran themselves ragged. Even Amy's out for the count." Roxy informed her with a grin.

"So it's wine for us!"

"OK… you're far too cheerful." Katy accused them. "Something's happened…?" Her eyes landed on a box on the coffee table and she snatched it up with a frown. "Diazepam?"

"They're mine."

"Mum… you can't… Glenda was addicted to these…"

Her mother nodded. "I know. That's why I haven't taken any. They're only for emergencies."

"But why…?"

"My nerves are shredded with everything that's going on. I was on the verge of cracking up, baby… but…"

"I'm back." Roxy told her firmly. "Mitchell sisters forever. And you, obviously, Katy."

"Mum… I'm sorry I've been distracted lately. I…" Katy ran a hand through her hair. "I just…"

"I know, sweetheart." Ronnie smiled at her. "You've been working hard and the trial… how did it go today?"

"Marcus Christie wants to call me as a late defense witness."

"Really?"

"Yeah… I have to testify… I can't let Max go down for something I know he didn't do. He's not a killer."

"Are you sure it's a good idea?"

"No." Katy admitted. "But I've already agreed."

Nodding, Ronnie told her that there was left over pasta from dinner in the kitchen for her, so Katy made her way to the back of the house. Spooning the pasta carbonara into a bowl and setting the pan into the sink to soak, she popped it into the microwave and waited for it to ping. As she was waiting, she texted Lauren, letting her know what Christie had wanted.

At once her friend replied, asking whether she was going to do it. After reassuring Lauren that she would do her best to stick up for Max, the young woman returned to the living room with her dinner. She kept one eye on her mobile as she ate, waiting for the call to come through.

When, finally, her mobile rang she grabbed it. "Hello?"

"Miss Mitchell? Marcus Christie here."

"Hi… am I being called?"

"Yes. The Judge agreed my petition. You'll be called on Tuesday."

"Oh…" Katy bit her lip, thinking about what was happening the day before. "OK, that's fine."

"You don't sound sure." The man replied quickly.

"No, no, I am. I have an appointment on Monday, but Tuesday is fine."

"You understand that you won't be able to attend the trial between now and then?" Christie clarified. "You won't be able to contact anyone involved, either."

"Yeah, that's fine." She agreed.

"Until Tuesday, then, Miss Mitchell."

Katy nodded. "Yeah… I'll be there." Hanging up, she turned to look at her mother and aunt who were staring at her expectantly. Sighing, the brunette placed her mobile on the coffee table and nodded slowly. "They're calling me on Tuesday. I can't go to the trial until after I've given evidence and I can't speak to anyone involved between now and then."

"Where are you going on Monday?" Ronnie asked, frowning lightly in confusion.

"I've got another meeting with the new promoters for the club." Katy lied smoothly. "They're taking me to lunch… I'm going to try and knock something off their price."

"God she's a proper business woman, ain't she?" Roxy muttered, shaking her head. "All Mitchell, that one."

"And I'm so proud." Ronnie agreed, pulling her daughter into a one-armed hug and pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

Huffing and trying to push her away to go some way to easing her guilt at lying, Katy frowned. "Get off!"

As the two blondes laughed, the younger woman climbed to her feet and picked up her bowl and the empty wine bottle. Rolling her eyes at her aunt's order to bring another one through, she escaped to the kitchen and leant heavily against the counter for a moment, wondering how she was going to find the words to tell her family about her illness.


	99. Chapter 99

On Sunday afternoon Katy's mobile started ringing in the kitchen, but she was in the living room with her daughters and Matthew. Ronnie picked up the handset, frowning at the name that was flashing on the display. She stared at the screen until it stopped ringing and the mobile went dark again. Carrying it into the front room, she waved it at her daughter.

"Why is Ritchie Scott ringing you?"

"What?" Katy asked, furrowing her eyebrows as she looked up at her mother.

"Ritchie? Why is she ringing you? Is this about your father?"

"No… I don't know? Maybe it's about Max's trial?"

"Are you going to phone her back?"

"Yeah… maybe?"

Ronnie watched expectantly as the younger woman unlocked her phone and selected the woman's number from her call list. She bit her lip, waiting for Ritchie to answer. She knew exactly what she was phoning about, but didn't know how to get her mother off her back without raising her suspicions.

"Katherine?"

"Hi, Ritchie. I think you phoned me?"

There was a pause. "Is your mother there?"

"Yeah…"

"Ah… would it be better if I called back another time? Tomorrow for instance?"

"I think so. Maybe if you tried calling first thing tomorrow morning?"

"Perhaps we could meet? The same place as last time? Would nine be convenient?"

"Yeah, it's fine."

"Tomorrow, then."

"OK, bye."

Ronnie looked curiously at her daughter as she hung up and pushed the phone into the back pocket of her jeans. "What was that about?"

"Oh… she wanted to speak to Phil and wondered whether I knew where he might be because he's not answering her calls." Katy lied easily.

"Why would she phone you?"

"I don't know!"

"Right, OK." Ronnie held up her hands in defeat, wondering why her daughter was in a bad mood all of a sudden.

Contrary to what the blonde had assumed her daughter would do, Katy simply sat back down on the floor with Ruby and carried on helping her to complete the Disney Princesses puzzle they'd be working on. Ronnie watched them for a moment, thoughtfully, before retreating to the kitchen and starting to make dinner.

A short while passed and then Ronnie heard the kitchen door opening. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled as she saw her daughter leaning against the doorframe. Smiling weakly, the younger woman moved into the room and perched on a stool, resting her elbows on the breakfast bar and putting her chin in her hand.

"What's wrong?" Ronnie asked at once.

"I was thinking… you said that JB was on my father's jacket?"

"Yeah…"

"You know whose initials are JB?" When her mother looked blankly at her, Katy sighed. "Jack… Jack Branning."

"You think…? That's impossible, Katy."

"Why is it?"

"I'd know if… well, if I'd met Jack before."

"Would you?" Katy asked curiously. "Would you really know if you'd met him for one night when you were fourteen? You didn't even know his name. I bet he didn't know yours either."

"Well… no, I guess not, but…"

"So he could be my father?"

Ronnie frowned at her. "Katy… it's almost impossible that Jack is your father. How likely is it that my ex-husband, who I met about fifteen years after you were born is your biological father?"

"I don't know, I just…"

"You want it to be true?"

Katy shrugged and then shook her head. "I feel like it's true. I feel like… it makes sense. I feel like I've always known."

"So what are you going to do? Are you going to ask Jack? Get him to do a DNA test? What?"

"I don't know…" The brunette replied with a shrug. She thought about the dark cloud that was hovering over her, chewing her lip indecisively.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Ronnie asked gently, reaching out and touching her daughter's cheek tenderly. "I know something's bothering you… I can tell."

"It's nothing." Katy replied quickly. "I just… what if he thinks it's stupid or…"

Her mother smiled weakly. "Jack would love it. I just… it's so unlikely that I…"

"Don't want me to get my hopes up?"

Ronnie nodded and Katy smiled weakly. There wasn't really much that would get her hopes up at the moment, short of a miracle. She didn't think it would be fair for Jack to find out that she was his biological daughter just before he found out that she was so ill. Katy was under no illusions about how much longer she would be able to hide things from her family.

"Maybe you're right."

"That's got to be a first." Ronnie chuckled. "You admitting that I'm right."

"I'm sure it must have happened once or twice before." Katy replied, screwing up her face as though she was thinking about it. Unable to hide her yawn, she stood up. "I'm gonna go to bed. I'm not feeling great."

"You do look at little pale… do you want anything?"

"No, thanks. I'll see you in the morning."

x-x

The morning arrived far too quickly for Katy's liking and at nine o'clock she found herself clutching a mug of coffee tightly while she waited for her solicitor to arrive. Roxy hadn't questioned it when her niece asked her to take Ruby to school and Ronnie had been only too happy to look after her younger granddaughters.

Ten minutes later Ritchie arrived, apologising for keeping the young woman waiting. Shaking her head, Katy assured her it was fine and signalled for the waitress to bring over another coffee while Ritchie pulled out her notebook and an official looking manila folder.

"I've taken the liberty of drawing up a will for you." Ritchie informed her smoothly, opening the folder and laying the papers out in front of her. "As you can see it clearly states that you wish to leave Ruby Margaret Veronica Mitchell, Sophie Roxanne Mitchell and Jessica Katherine Mitchell under the joint guardianship of Veronica Elizabeth Mitchell and Jack Branning."

"That's the other thing I wanted to ask you about… how easy would it be to change the girls' surnames to Mitchell-Branning."

Ritchie arched an eyebrow at her. "Really?"

"I know my family. I don't want Jack cut out of their lives… I want to make sure they always have a link to him."

"It's a relatively simple process. You need to change them by deed poll by filling in the relevant forms and sending them off for approval. You'll need the agreement of anyone with parental responsibility–"

"It's just me." Katy replied quickly. "Can you sort the forms as soon as possible?"

Ritchie nodded. "If you want me to I'll complete the paperwork and you can sign them."

"Thank you."

"Once that's gone through, I'll change the names on your will. That'll give you a chance to think about anything else you'd like added."

"I don't have anything else to leave." Katy pointed out.

Ritchie smiled at her sympathetically. "When do you start your treatment?"

"I'm going to get my central line fitted today… at ten. Then I'm giving evidence at Max Branning's trial tomorrow. They haven't given me a start date for my first course of Chemo, yet."

"Do you want a lift to the hospital? I've got my car."

Nodding, Katy smiled gratefully. "That would be great, if you don't mind?"

"Not at all." Ritchie assured her, leaving a five-pound note on the table to pay for their coffees as she gathered her things. "Come on."


	100. Chapter 100

They were almost at the hospital when Katy's mobile started ringing. Seeing her mother's photo flashing on the screen, the young woman bit her lip, wondering whether to answer it or not. While she was deliberating, the call ended. Split seconds later the ringing started again. Guessing that it must be important, Katy answered her mother's call.

"Hi, are you alright?"

"Where are you?"

"I'm at that meeting I told–"

"Charlie's taken Matthew. He's taking him away. Katy… I need you." Ronnie blurted, cutting across her daughter.

The younger Mitchell almost dropped her phone in shock. "What? You… what?"

"Please, Katy…"

"OK, I'm coming."

"Hurry!"

Katy tapped Ritchie's arm and signalled that they needed to turn around and head back to the Square. The older woman narrowed her eyes and fixed her with a curious look, but did as she was bid anyway.

"Mum… what do you mean Charlie's taking Matthew away?" Katy asked, shooting a sideways look at the solicitor. Ritchie's ears pricked up at that information and her gaze returned to the brunette. "How do you… where?"

"We knew this was going to happen." Ritchie muttered, keeping her voice low enough that she wouldn't be heard by the older Mitchell on the other end of the call. "I've sorted the court order… when Charlie tries to take Matthew out of the country–"

Katy's eyes widened. "What the hell is going on?"

"Roxy was… but Charlie knows… he's going to take him."

"Mum, I'm nearly home, OK… Just…"

As the line went dead, Katy stared at the now-black screen of her phone in astonishment. "Shit."

"Katherine, what's happening?"

"You tell me!" The brunette snapped. "Apparently everyone else is in on this."

"Your mother came up with a plan to get Charlie out of the picture. She knew that he would try to take Matthew away from her and probably use Roxanne to do it. As expected, Charlie suggested that they take Matthew and Amy and move away, to France."

"And Aunty Roxy went along with it?"

"She told your mother. We'd already discussed getting a court order to stop something of the like happening. Roxanne has gone with him so that she can keep Veronica informed and stop him getting away."

"But something's gone wrong."

"I would appear so."

Realising that they were heading onto the Square, Katy undid her belt. "Can you drop me here?"

Ritchie nodded and pulled over. "What about your appointment?"

Katy ran a hand through her hair. "This is more important. I'll call them and rearrange."

"Make sure you do."

Smiling, the brunette climbed out of the car and pulled out her mobile. As she hurried towards the house where she hoped her mother was still waiting for her, she called the number the oncologist had given her for emergencies, explaining that something had come up and she wouldn't be able to make it to the hospital. He tried reasoning with her, reminding her how important the appointment was, but Katy wouldn't be moved. In the end, he told her to come in at the same time on Wednesday morning instead.

"Mum? Mum!" Katy banged through the front door and looked wildly around. Ronnie, looking equally wild, appeared in the living room doorway. Her daughter dragged her into a tight hug for a moment, before pulling back and looking at her seriously. "What's happening? Where's Aunty Rox? Where's Matthew?"

"We need to go… Now!"

Nodding and following her mother from the house, Katy hailed a cab and pushed her mother into it. The traffic was incredibly heavy and, as they headed through the streets of London towards Dartford East station, Katy found herself getting more and more impatient. She urged the cabby to drive faster, but he simply indicated the queue in front of them and shrugged.

"Come on…" She muttered, biting her thumbnail and glancing sideways at her mother who looked as though she was going to jump out of the car and start running instead. It would almost definitely be quicker than waiting for the traffic to clear.

"Roxy's not answering…" Ronnie muttered.

"She probably can't." Katy tried to reassure her, not managing to reassure herself. "She can't make Charlie any more suspicious, can she? He probably doesn't know she's playing him."

"Katy…" Ronnie pushed her mobile into her daughter's hand.

"See… she's stalling him. It's fine." The brunette said, more confidently than she felt. Then she turned to the driver. "Come on, mate… put your foot down, yeah? This is important."

He apparently heard the warning tone to her voice and drove faster. They reached the station in less than ten minutes and Ronnie threw some notes at the driver, telling him to keep the change. Both Mitchells started running, throwing themselves through the automatic doors.

They saw Roxy bashing the ticket barriers with her fists, shouting after Charlie who was carrying Matthew in his car seat out onto the platform. Ronnie's voice joined her sister's calling for the man to bring her son back, but he paid them no heed.

"_Open the door… open the door!_" Ronnie shrieked, slapping the barrier. "_He's got my son!_"

The man jumped to the controls and overrode the barrier, letting the three women through and onto the station. They sprinted past him and out onto the platform, looking wildly around for any sign of Ronnie's husband and son. Katy rushed over to look at the electronic timetable; trying to work out where he would be going and what platform he might be on.

"_Rox! Which platform did he say he was going to? Roxy!_"

"_He said platform three, but they could be going anywhere!_"

"_OK, quick, run!_" Ronnie ran towards the stairs that led to the other platforms, her sister and daughter on her heels. "_Charlie!_"

Katy felt as though her heart was going to burst out of her chest. She gasped for breath, screwing up her eyes and clutching the side of the overpass, pain rippling through her chest. Ronnie and Roxy disappeared from sight as Katy closed her eyes and breathed deeply, feeling dizziness washing over her.

"Katy!" Ronnie screamed from up ahead. "Come on! Where are you?"

"Coming…" The brunette ground out, forcing herself to straighten up and keep going.

"_Ron… I can't see anything!_" Roxy said, standing on her tiptoes and looking over the top.

"_OK, listen, go to the last platform. We'll go to the middle._" The eldest of the trio said firmly. "Katy, come on."

Following her mother, wrapping an arm around her waist to support her when she cried out and grabbed her leg, Katy helped her down onto the middle platform.

"Mum!" Katy grabbed Ronnie's arm and pointed across the tracks to the platform they had just been on. "There!"

"_Charlie…_" Ronnie called, much more calmly than Katy was sure she felt. "_Please, Charlie. Look at you! You're turning into your dad!_"

"NO!" Charlie shouted, pointing at Katy who had started back towards the stairs. "Stop!"

"_You're going to ruin Matthew's life just like he ruined yours!_" Ronnie continued, holding out a hand in her daughter's direction without moving her gaze from her husband. "_Is that what you want, Charlie?_"

They all looked at the oncoming train that was about to block the man and the baby from their view. Katy glanced at her mother and, judging the time it would take for the train to block her and how long it would take her to cross the overpass and reach her brother.

"_No!_" Ronnie shrieked.

But Katy was already halfway up the stairs and sprinting across the top. She ignored the burning pain in her chest as she ran, knowing that stopping Charlie taking Matthew away was more important that her discomfort.

By the time she skidded to a half on the platform, the doors were closing and Charlie and Matthew were nowhere to be seen. She screamed in frustration, bashing on the doors and jabbing the button to try and open them. When they refused to move, she squared up to the man in the fluorescent jacket who was telling her to move away from the train.

Roxy dragged her backwards, apparently worried that her niece was about to physically attack the man, while she pleaded with him to do something. He explained that he couldn't open the doors or stop the train because it had already gone. The three Mitchell women stared at him, absolutely devastated by the turn of events.

Running her hands through her hair, Katy turned away as the trained pulled out of the station. She kicked a bin in absolute fury, while her mother and aunt hugged each other tightly. They had completely lost hope, but the brunette could feel her rage bubbling through her as she thought about what had happened. Katy was in no doubt that losing her son would push Ronnie over the edge.

"_Come on, look, we've gotta phone the police…_" Roxy suggested, trying to reassure her sister. "_We're gonna get in a cab and maybe we can catch him up the other end of the line, yeah?_"

"_Shh…_"

"_Ron, you can't give up now, please…_"

"_Shush!_"

They all turned, focusing in on the sound Ronnie had heard. Katy's mouth dropped open as she heard crying, following the older women into the waiting room. Her knees almost gave way at the sight of her brother, safe in his car seat, on the table. As her mother lifted him out, holding him tightly and pressing kisses to his head, she turned away, letting her eyes slip shut as relief flooded through her.


	101. Chapter 101

"Can you confirm that you are Katherine Margaret Mitchell of number 27, Albert Square?"

"I am." Katy nodded.

"And can you confirm your relationship with the defendant?"

Setting her jaw, the brunette nodded stiffly. "He's my step-uncle, the father of my best friend and… my ex."

"You were in a relationship with Mr Branning?"

"Yes."

"How would you describe this relationship?" Christie asked. When Katy opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, at a loss as to how to answer, he elaborated. "Would you say that it was an emotional connection you shared with Mr Branning? Or was it purely physical? Did you envisage it going anywhere?"

Katy shook her head firmly. "No. It was… convenient… for both of us. I didn't want a relationship and neither did he. It was never serious for either of us."

"When, and how, did it start?"

"November 2013… we were both a bit down. Max's relationship had just ended and I was feeling lonely. One thing just led to another."

Christie nodded and smiled, as though he understood. "When did it end?"

"I went to Ibiza with my mum and aunt at the beginning of January 2014 and it pretty much ended then." Katy told him.

"Pretty much?"

"We only slept together once after I went to Ibiza… on the night Lucy Beale died."

A mutter ran around the courtroom, causing the Judge to clear his throat. Marcus Christie smiled as he looked down at his notes, before coughing lightly and returning his attention to the young woman. Her face was completely devoid of emotion as she stared back at him, waiting for his next question. Katy wasn't unable to look at anyone else, knowing that she would be mortified if she caught anyone's eyes.

"Can you talk us through that night, from your point of view?"

"My mum, my aunt and I were having a housewarming party and we'd invited most of our neighbours. I'd had a lot to drink and Max suggested going back to his at about... eleven? It seemed a good idea at the time, so I did. We had sex and I stayed over. I was with Max at his house until half past five, when I went home."

"Is there any way the defendant could have left the house, killed Miss Beale and returned without you realising?"

"I doubt it." Katy shrugged. "I've got three children under five; I'm a pretty light sleeper, even when I've had a drink."

"Ah, yes." Christie smiled, glancing towards the jury. "Your younger daughters, how old are they?"

"They were one on September 13th."

"So they would have been conceived around the time you were sleeping with Mr Branning? Is he their father?"

Katy shook her head vehemently. "No, he's not."

"Can you prove that?"

"Yes. My mum did a DNA test, without my knowledge, to find out whether Max was their dad. It came back negative. Their father is someone I met in Ibiza."

The Judge leant forward. "Do you have this evidence with you, Miss Mitchell?"

"I have it, Your Honour." Christie informed him smoothly, retrieving the paper and handing it to a clerk, who delivered it to the Judge. There was a pause as he perused the information. "One final question, Miss Mitchell. Are you, or were you ever, in love with Mr Branning?"

Katy shook her head firmly. "No."

"No further questions."

As he took his seat, the prosecution stood up and fixed her with a knowing look. "Miss Mitchell, you say that your relationship with Mr Branning ended before you went to Ibiza. When did you discover that he had been sleeping with Miss Beale?"

"Just before she died."

"How did you react to the news?"

Katy shrugged. "I wasn't happy, obviously. But it was already over between me and Max, so there wasn't much to be angry about. Lucy took the news worse than I did. If I remember rightly, she called me a home wrecking little slag. Bit rich coming from her, but hey, I've been called worse."

"And how did Mr Branning deal with the knowledge that you and Lucy had discovered his secret?"

"I don't know really." She shrugged again. "He wasn't particularly bothered, I don't think, apart from being worried about how his daughters would take the news."

The prosecution council laughed mirthlessly. "He wasn't particularly bothered? A man in his forties is sleeping with two, attractive twenty-year-olds and he isn't particularly bothered when both relationships end?"

"It's not like Max was ever particularly short of offers." Katy replied casually. "I wouldn't flatter myself to think that I was indispensable to him."

"So, in your opinion, there's no way Mr Branning would have wanted revenge for the disruption to his cosy life?"

Katy snorted. "What cosy life? Both of us had ended things with him. It was all already disrupted."

"No further questions." The prosecution council announced to Katy's surprise, sitting down with a sour look on her face.

The Judge nodded. "Thank you, Miss Mitchell, you're free to go."

Katy didn't particularly feel as though she was free. Since the events of the day before, she'd been feeling incredibly ill. The running and the stress of the situation had taken all of her energy and Katy could barely put one foot in front of the other. Standing up in court and facing up to the barrage of questions, not to mention the faces staring at her, had sapped what remained of her strength.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" Ronnie asked as she let herself into the house. "You look pale? What happened?"

"It was fine… I'm just tired."

"Katy?"

"I think I've got a bug or something." She said wearily. "I'm gonna go and lie down. Are you OK to watch the kids?"

"Of course. What happened about that meeting you were supposed to have yesterday?"

"Meeting?"

Ronnie frowned. "Weren't you on your way to a meeting when I called yesterday?"

"Oh… that. I rearranged it. I'm going tomorrow morning instead. Can you drop Ruby at school and watch the twins for me?"

"Yeah, but–?"

"Thanks, Mum." The brunette said, pressing a kiss to the top of her mother's head before trailing slowly up the stairs.


	102. Chapter 102

Katy barely heard anything that she was told as they prepared her to receive the central line. They talked her through the procedure and explained exactly what would happen, but she was too apprehensive to pay much attention. Closing her eyes as the doctor located the area where the line would be put in and cleaned it with antiseptic solution, Katy gritted her teeth as she received the local anaesthetic injection.

She didn't feel the doctor cutting into her skin, or threading the line into the vein and down towards her heart. Katy kept her eyes closed as they worked, occasionally feeling a strange sensation in her chest as though something was moving around. Everything was still completely numb when they announced that the procedure was complete and they were going to take her for an x-ray to check the position of the line.

"It's looking good, Miss Mitchell." The doctor informed her as he examined the x-rays. "The line is in place and the exit site should easily be hidden under your clothes. You may have some pain or discomfort where the line has been tunneled under the skin for a few days, but I can prescribe you some painkillers to help with that."

"Great…"

"Would you like me to show you how to flush the line and change your dressings? Or would you prefer it if I arranged for a district nurse to come and do it for you?"

"No." Katy replied instantly. "I'll do it."

"OK."

The doctor talked her through what she would need to do to prevent the central line being blocked, demonstrating flushing the tube through with fluid and showing her how to change the caps. Then he showed her how to clean around the exit site and change the dressing, explaining that the stitches holding the line in place would fall off in about three weeks.

Katy nodded wordlessly throughout the explanation, taking in the information and mentally digesting it. She listened as the doctor told her of the signs to watch out for that something was wrong, smiling as her eyebrows furrowed more and more. He handed her an information sheet, reminding her that if she had any worries at all she should come in and speak to him.

"Have you got any more questions?"

She shook her head slowly, staring down at the page of writing in her hands. "Just… when will I lose my hair?"

He smiled gently. "You might not. It depends. Usually people start to loose their hair within the first few weeks of starting their treatment... it can help to cut your hair short before starting the treatment, because that stops the weight of your hair pulling on your scalp."

"When… when do I need to… my treatment…?"

"I'd like to do a blood test today and then, as long as your white blood count is high enough, start your treatment on Tuesday."

"That soon?" Katy bit her lip, not having expected that at all.

"The sooner the better." He pointed out.

"And how long will I have to stay in?"

"It's hard to say. With intensive chemotherapy you'll feel like you're in more than you're out. There's a chance that it will make you very ill, so it's better to be somewhere we can control that."

"What?" Katy chewed her lip. "So… I could be in hospital for weeks?"

"It's possible. But, as we discussed before, it's your best chance."

Nodding, Katy had to agree. She rolled up the sleeve of her cardigan and presented her arm to the doctor. He took several vials of her blood to test for her white blood cell count, before indicating that she could roll her sleeve back down.

"OK, we'll see you at 3pm on Monday afternoon to get you all settled in and we'll start treatment on Tuesday. Try not to let anything come up, this time, OK?" The doctor advised her with a warm smile, squeezing her arm reassuringly. "Make the most of the next few days, but remember to get enough rest and take on fluids, alright?"

Katy nodded and thanked him, accepting the prescription for painkillers and heading out of the hospital. She stopped off at the pharmacy to pick up her tablets, before heading home, her mind a complete jumble of thoughts as she tried to take in everything that was going on.

Ronnie noticed that her daughter wasn't herself that evening, but simply put it down to the bug Katy had mentioned the day before. She sent her off to have another early night, telling her that she would get the girls off to bed and ready for school and nursery in the morning so that the younger woman wouldn't have to worry about anything but getting herself well. Katy almost burst into tears at her mother's thoughtfulness, wishing that she wouldn't have to tell her that she was highly unlikely that she would manage to do that.

Unable to sleep, the young woman headed quietly down the stairs, hearing the television in the living room and letting herself out of the house almost silently. She crossed the Square, pulling her jacket around her tightly.

Katy knocked on the front door and waited anxiously on the top step for someone to answer it. She knew that Tina and Sonia were both out and she had watched Lauren heading towards the café with Abi, so she hoped that Carol would be at home alone. When there was no answer after a couple of minutes, Katy knocked again, bouncing on the balls of her feet in her nervousness.

"What's happened?" Carol demanded, pulling open the door and frowning. She was wiping her hands on a dishcloth and Katy assumed that she had been doing the washing up, which explained the delay in her appearance. She frowned as she took in the sight of her niece standing on the doorstep in her pyjamas. "Katy?"

"Aunty Carol, I… can I come in?"

Standing aside, the woman ushered her in before closing the door firmly. "What's happened?"

"I need to talk to you about…" She trailed off, chewing her lip. "I've got cancer."

"What?" Carol's mouth dropped open at the news and she didn't seem to know how to respond.

Pushing the brunette into the front room, Carol sank down on the sofa beside her and took her hand carefully. She peered at Katy, whose head was bowed as she tried to keep her tears at bay. After keeping the information bottled up for so long, the younger woman couldn't help the well of emotion inside her bubbling up and threatening to spill out.

"Oh, darling…"

Carol pulled Katy into a tight hug, holding her as she sobbed. She rocked them gently, running a hand through the brunette's hair over and over again, attempting to soothe her. Carol knew better than most that it was highly unlikely that anything she said would make much of a difference to Katy, but she also knew that sometimes saying nothing was exactly what was needed in a situation like this.

"I've got Acute Myeloid Leukaemia… I'm going into hospital on Monday and starting treatment on Tuesday. I just… I don't know how to tell…"

"Chemo?"

"Yeah…"

"How are they administering it?"

Katy tugged at the neck of her top, revealing the very top of the port on her chest. "Central line… they put it in yesterday."

"You went on your own?" When Katy nodded, Carol sighed and hugged her again. "Oh, sweetheart… Why haven't you told anyone?"

"There's just… so much going on and… I don't think I'm strong enough."

Carol laughed mirthlessly. "You? Not strong enough? You're one of the strongest people I know and that is saying something around here."

"I'm not as strong as you…"

"Me? You're as strong as I am, darling, stronger, perhaps."

"But I just… I don't think I can beat this."

"You can, darling. You can beat this."


	103. Chapter 103

The truth about Jessica and Sophie's paternity and how it had come out was weighing heavily on Katy. Her conscience wouldn't let her rest until she had the chance to speak to Max. She had absolutely no doubt he would be furious with her for letting him believe that the twins were his, but she owed it to him to sit through whatever verbal tirade her threw at her.

Heading round to Carol's house on Sunday afternoon to ask whether she would watch the girls, Katy was greeted by a man she didn't recognise.

"Robbie?" Her aunt stepped forward to introduce them. "This is your cousin Katy, Jack's daughter."

"Oh, the Mitchell." He said with a grin, holding out his hand and shaking hers. "Nice to meet you, I've heard a lot."

Katy laughed. "Likewise. But I'm not Jack's only Mitchell daughter."

"True." He conceded. "You're the older Mitchell daughter."

"I am." She agreed with a smile. "Listen, I'll leave you to it."

Carol put her hand on her niece's arm. "No, darling, what's wrong?"

"Nothing… I wanted a word, but it's OK. I'll come back later."

"Is this about…?"

Katy nodded. Sensing that his presence wasn't required for a couple of minutes, Robbie ducked into the living room out of sight. "Yeah… I've thought it through and I'm not going to say anything to Mum or Jack."

"You have to, Katy. You have to tell them that–"

"No." The young woman replied firmly. "I don't and I'm not going to. You're not either."

"You can't just… you can't go into hospital and have Chemotherapy without telling your family!"

"I can and I am." Katy replied stubbornly.

"Where are you going to tell them you're going?" Carol demanded, folding her arms and frowning at her. "What could you possibly tell them that would explain where you are? How long will you be in hospital? How long are you going to be away from your daughters?"

"I don't know." She admitted. "But… Aunty Carol I can't tell them… I just…" Katy sighed, chewing her lip worriedly and feeling tears springing to her eyes. "Mum's been prescribed Diazepam… you know what she's like… this will push her over the edge."

"So what? You're going to wait until… what?"

The younger woman rubbed a hand over her face tiredly. "I can't face it, OK… I just… I can't."

"So the rest of us will have to pick up the pieces?"

"You didn't want to tell anyone, either!" Katy reminded her aunt bitterly. "You can't take the moral high ground with me!" Sighing and remembering that she had a request to make, the younger woman shot Carol a weak smile. "I didn't come round to talk about that, anyway. I came to ask a favour."

Carol, hearing why the young woman wanted to go and visit her brother, had agreed to watch all three of Katy's daughters while she went to the prison. As he was still on remand there was no problem with Katy just walking in and demanding to see him and, as soon as her ID had been checked and she'd been searched, the guard led her into the visiting room where Max was already waiting at a table.

Neither of them spoke for a couple of minutes and then Max leant forwards, fixing her with an irritable scowl. Katy didn't move or change her expression, bracing herself for what was about to be sent her way. But then Max sighed and slumped slightly in his seat.

"It's probably a good thing."

"What?"

"That they're not mine."

She sighed. "Max… I'm so sorry. I never meant to… There's no excuse. I'm sorry."

He shook his head again. "No, you're right. There is no excuse. Is that why you gave evidence for me? Because you feel guilty?"

"Partly," Katy admitted with a shrug, "and partly because I know you're not a killer, Max. I know you don't have it in you to kill anyone, let alone Lucy."

"If only everyone else shared your belief."

"Max… Abi will come round. They can't find you guilty… they just can't! It's not right!"

"You know as well as I do this ain't about what's right? It's about them being able to pin in on me and get away with it." Leaning forward, he glanced towards the guards before speaking again. "How's Lauren? And the baby?"

"Louie is adorable." Katy told him with a soft smile. "Lauren's adamant that you didn't do this. She hasn't given up… Carol either. They both believe you didn't do this, just like I do." She shot him a curious look. "And Jane, apparently."

"I didn't sleep with her."

"Well I know that." Katy pointed out, rolling her eyes. "So why would she say it?"

He shrugged. "I have no idea. But I didn't sleep with Jane and I didn't kill Lucy."

x-x

"Mum…" Katy chewed her lip nervously, hovering in the doorway later that evening. "I need to ask you something."

Ronnie looked over at her and raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter?"

"I've just remembered that I've got that business conference thing tomorrow…"

"What business conference thing?" Her mother asked, turning properly to look at her.

"I booked onto it ages ago… you said I should go." Katy lied smoothly, having practised her story over and over again in her head. "It's about growing your business and maximising profit."

"Oh…" Ronnie looked confused, but clearly thought she had simply forgotten about it. "It's tomorrow? How long for?"

"I'll be away for a week."

"Where?"

"Bristol."

"Bristol?" Ronnie frowned at her. "Why the hell are you going to Bristol?"

"That's where the conference is, Mum."

"Wasn't there one closer?"

"No."

"What's going to happen to the girls while you're away?" The blonde demanded bad-temperedly. "Are you expecting me to look after them?"

"What? Me expect you to look after your granddaughters? What a crazy notion!" Katy replied sarcastically. "But if it's such a problem I'll ask Jack or Aunty Roxy."

There were a couple of moments silence while the two women stared each other out. Then Ronnie sighed and shook her head. "Of course I'll look after them I just… some warning would have been nice."

"Yeah… I forgot, I'm sorry." She sighed. "My train isn't until 2, so I can drop Ruby at school and the twins at nursery before I go…"

"Well… it doesn't look there's much to say on the matter, is there?" Ronnie replied. "You'd better go and pack."


	104. Chapter 104

Katy had left just before two after saying goodbye to her mother and brother, heading through the market towards the tube station. Instead of buying a ticket and pushing through the turnstile, however, she flagged down a cab and clambered into the back, directing him to take her to Walford General.

The next morning, Ronnie was just attempting to get Ruby ready for school, with the twins and Matthew in front of the television, when there was a loud knocking on the front door. She frowned, setting her mug of tea on the coffee table and went to see who was outside.

"Ms Mitchell?"

Ronnie narrowed her eyes at the police officers on her doorstep. "Can I help you?"

"We're looking for Katherine Mitchell."

"She's not here." Ronnie told them bluntly. "I'm her mother. What do you think she's done?"

"We need to ask her a few questions in connection with Mr Branning's escape from custody."

The Mitchell laughed. "You think Katy had something to do with that? Just because she had a thing with Max?"

"Actually, Ms Mitchell, we want to speak to her because she went to visit Mr Branning on Sunday afternoon, the day before he assaulted a police officer and evaded justice." DCI Marsden told her with a slightly smug smirk, appearing between the uniformed officers on Ronnie's doorstep. "So we think maybe they were planning his escape."

"That's… she wasn't…"

"I'm afraid she was, Ms Mitchell. Now, where is she?"

"She's at a business conference in Bristol."

"Convenient."

Ronnie rolled her eyes. "Her train left at two yesterday afternoon. Carol told me that Max wasn't found guilty until four. You work that one out."

"Where is she staying in Bristol, Ms Mitchell?"

"I think she said it was called the Henbury Lodge or something." Folding her arms across her chest, the younger woman scowled at the detective. "Look… I don't know what you think is going on here, but my daughter has nothing to do with it. She isn't with Max. I don't think she even knows what happened. She's at a business conference."

After passing the information over to one of the uniform officers, who got onto tracking Katy down immediately, Marsden smiled at Ronnie. "If that's true then she'll be fine."

"Of course it's true. Just because she's a Mitchell it doesn't mean–"

"They haven't got any record of her at Henbury Lodge, Ma'am." The officer cut across Ronnie quickly, speaking directly to Marsden.

She turned a triumphant grin in Ronnie's direction. "Well, well, well."

"Obviously that's wrong." The blonde snapped. "There's no way Katy would leave her daughters here and run off with Max Branning. No way!"

"Clearly you don't know your daughter as well as you thought you did."

Pulling out her mobile, Ronnie quickly selected Katy's number from her contacts and held the handset to her ear. Absent-mindedly she wandered into the living room, followed by the detective and uniformed officers. The call went straight through to answerphone, leaving Ronnie staring at the screen in confusion.

"No." She shook her head. "No… this isn't right."

Grabbing her jacket from the chair, Ronnie pushed past Marsden and made for the front door. Then she remembered that she had four children in the house and stopped abruptly, chewing her thumbnail as she considered her options. Scrolling through her contacts again, she stopped on Jack's number and, after a brief hesitation, clicked call.

"Jack? Have you heard from Katy?" She demanded. "No. I… the police want to speak to her about Max's escape but… she's not in the hotel she told me and her mobile is off." She chewed her thumbnail as her ex-husband spoke. "What? Where did she tell you she was staying? She's not there." There was a long pause as Jack replied and then Ronnie sighed. "OK… OK. Thanks."

"Jack Branning?" Marsden asked.

"He's her dad… as good as, anyway. I thought maybe she'd… She told him the same as she told me." Tapping her mobile against her lips thoughtfully, Ronnie was struck by sudden inspiration and made a third phone call. "Carol? Have you heard from Katy? I can't get hold of her and she's not at the hotel in Bristol she said she was staying at." A frown suddenly crossed the blonde's features. "What? Carol… what aren't you telling me? Where's my daughter? Is she with Max? What? OK…"

Ending the call, Ronnie turned to the detective. "What did she say?"

"Just that Katy's not with Max."

"You think she's hiding something?"

The blonde shot her a sharp look. "No."

"Right…" Marsden walked out into the hallway and said something to the officer out there. Then she returned to the living room and sat down.

"Why are you still here?" Ronnie demanded.

The detective smiled nastily. "Until we hear otherwise, your daughter is prime suspect for helping Max Branning escape."

"This is madness. Why would Katy help Max escape?"

"You tell me." Marsden smiled again. "Or, better still, Katy can tell us."

Throwing her hands up in the air, the younger woman exhaled sharply. "I think you should leave. I want you to get out of my house."

She was about to refuse the request, but a sharp knocking on the front door stopped Marsden from replying. Instead, she moved past Ronnie to see who was outside, evidently thinking that it might be the young woman they were looking for. Instead, she came face-to-face with a young uniformed officer, who lowered his voice and leant forward to tell her something that caused the woman to frown.

Turning to Ronnie with confusion, she tilted her head to one side. "I've just been informed that Katy is in Walford General."

"What?" The blonde went white, feeling as though ice was forcing its way through her veins. "Why?"

"No idea." Marsden shrugged, clearly not caring at all. "It might have something to do with Branning. We're going over there now."

Ronnie scowled at her ferociously. "Like hell you are! If my daughter is in hospital then I am going to see her and you are not going anywhere near."

"This is an on-going murder investigation, Ms Mitchell and your daughter could have valuable information for us."

"I'm warning you now… you stay away from Katy until she's well enough to speak to you."

Marsden smirked. "And what are you going to do if we don't?"


	105. Chapter 105

Ronnie ran through the corridors of Walford General as soon as Roxy had arrived to watch the children. She barely told her sister anything, only thanking her for coming over before rushing out of the house and driving quickly out of the Square.

She demanded to be told where her daughter was, almost scaring the young woman behind the reception desk as she glared at her ferociously. With a stutter, the receptionist directed her towards a ward in the Oncology Centre in the East Wing of the hospital. Ronnie's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. After a moment's silence, the blonde ordered the receptionist to check again. With a shrug, the information was repeated and Ronnie had no choice but to follow the signs.

As she strode through the corridors, she convinced herself that there had been some kind of mistake. Katy being admitted to A&E was something that she could believe; her daughter was so accident prone that it wouldn't surprise Ronnie at all to be told that the young woman had fallen over and broken a bone. But hearing that she was in the Oncology Centre, meaning that she was being treated for cancer, was something that she just couldn't get her head around. She would ask for Katy and be told that there had been a mistake.

"Can I help you?" A smiling woman in a nurse's uniform enquired, spotting the blonde hovering in the corridor uncertainly.

"I think there's been a mistake…" Ronnie started, with the air of someone who was sure they knew better than anyone else. "I was told that my daughter is here… in the Oncology Centre."

"What's your daughter's name?" The nurse asked, rounding the reception desk and clicking the mouse to wake the sleeping computer monitor.

"Katherine Mitchell. But as I said–"

"Oh, you're Katy's mother?" Standing up again, the woman smiled. "Come on, I'll show you to her room."

Ronnie shook her head sharply. "No. No! If Katy… I'd know if my daughter… She can't be…"

Backing away, the blonde retreated through the double doors and strode back through the hospital; unable to reconcile what she was being told with the reality she believed to be true. Stopping abruptly in the middle of the corridor, Ronnie leant heavily against the wall. She scowled at a middle-aged couple who eyed her suspiciously as the passed.

Pulling out her mobile, she selected a number and held the handset to her ear, chewing on her thumbnail as she waited for the sound of a voice in her ear.

"Did you know?" She demanded furiously.

"Know what?" Jack asked, deeply confused by her question.

"Know about Katy?"

"What about Katy?" He insisted. "Ronnie… I don't know what you're talking about."

"She's… I'm…" Ronnie broke off, a sob catching in her throat as she thought about what she'd just discovered and the enormity of the situation. "She's ill, Jack."

"What d'you mean? Ron… you're not making any sense. Where are you?"

"Hospital… I… I need you."

Hearing the sound of a door shutting on the other end of the call, Ronnie knew that Jack was already on his way. She wasn't sure how long it took Jack to get to the hospital, how long she had been waiting in the corridor for him, but suddenly he was there. He crouched down in front of her, gently taking her hands in his and squeezing them.

"Ron… Ronnie… what's the matter? Why are we here? Are you OK?"

"Katy she… she's here, Jack." When he still looked totally confused, she took a stuttered breath and tried to explain herself. "Marsden came looking for her… she thought Katy had something to do with Max escaping from court. But then they discovered that she was here. I thought it was a mistake… I was convinced that it had to be. But… she's actually here, Jack."

"Where?"

Ronnie nodded her head towards the reception desk. "Here."

Taking a breath and holding her hand tightly, Jack pulled Ronnie back to the reception desk and smiled at the nurse behind it. She glanced quickly at the blonde beside him and noticed how pale she was and the way her eyes were darting around the room, never lingering on anything for more than a couple of seconds.

"Hello, I was wondering if you could help me. I'm looking for–"

"Katy Mitchell? Are you her father?"

Jack nodded hastily and then glanced at Ronnie. "Yeah… sorry, her mum's had a bit of a shock. We didn't… we didn't know she'd come in, see."

"Oh, right…" The nurse looked between them as she stood up and made her way towards the double doors. "Her room's just along here, if you'd care to follow me."

They followed in silence as the woman led them to Katy's room. Jack read the young woman's name on the board beside her door, Dr Owen written underneath it. The nurse knocked and poked her head inside, informing Katy that she had some visitors.

It would have been difficult to say who was more shocked when Jack and Ronnie walked in. Katy's mouth dropped open and she looked between her parents in horror. The former married couple looked similarly horrified at the confirmation that it was their daughter sitting in the chair hooked up to several bags hanging from a drip stand.

"What are you…?" Katy murmured, looking between them with wide-eyes. "Why are you here?"

"Why are you?" Ronnie snapped back.

At exactly the right moment, there was a knock on the door and the doctor walked in. He smiled brightly at the trio in the room, but his grin quickly faded as Ronnie scowled at him ferociously. A quick conversation told him that neither of Katy's parents had known about her illness and he offered to inform them about her diagnosis and the treatment. Receiving a grateful nod from the young woman, he led Ronnie and Jack out into the corridor.

Katy closed her eyes and leant her head back against the backrest of her hospital chair. It was uncomfortable and chemotherapy felt strange. She hadn't known what to expect, but even if she had the young woman didn't think she would have been able to prepare herself. The worst part was that it was boring. She had sat in her chair for hours, staring at the television on the wall and waiting for it to be over. Every time she tried to move a wave of nausea would wash over her and she leant back against the back of the chair to steady herself.

The nurses had talked to her about what would be in her first pre-medication drip and, after her reaction to the chemotherapy drugs, they had decided to add anti-nausea drugs to her next pre-med. Katy had been counting down until she was finished, watching the amount of liquid in the bags decreasing slowly as the liquid drained through the IVs and into her body.

She looked up as the door opened and Jack appeared in the doorway. He smiled weakly at her for a moment before walking in and closing the door behind him. He crossed the room and perched on the bed, reaching out and taking her hand in his. Jack pressed it to his lips quickly, reaching out to brush Katy's hair away from her face gently.

"Your mum's just getting some air."

"I'm sorry…" Katy murmured, looking away.

"Sorry?" Jack reached out and grasped her chin, pulling her face towards him. "What are you sorry for, babe? Why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't… I didn't want to upset Mum. She's… she's had so much…"

"Your mum wouldn't–"

"Jack, you know that she wouldn't have coped."

He arched an eyebrow at her. "So? What was your plan? Were you going to hope no one noticed?"

"Pretty much…"

"It would never have worked." Jack replied with a shrug. "Besides, we're your parents… we love you, K. We need to know these things so… well, we just need to know."

"Is Mum OK?" Katy asked worriedly, raising her thumb to her mouth and chewing on the nail.

"She will be… she just needs to get her head around it."

"She's not the only one." Katy sighed.


	106. Chapter 106

_**A/N: A few of you have pointed out that Katy and Jack kissed in the past. Don't worry, I remembered that too, but that was in a different timeline. Remember, this AU diverted from the other one before that happened. **_

_**Also, yes, it would mean that Katy had an affair with her uncle, but worse things have happened on Eastenders! Lauren and Joey, for example, which as someone who's incredibly close to her cousins… well, I just found that whole thing really uncomfortable!**_

_**Anyway, thanks for sticking with this and thanks for reading/reviewing, etc! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**_

_**x**_

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><p>The doctor had explained patiently about Katy's illness as her parents listened. It was difficult to take, but Dr Owen had repeated himself several times until Ronnie and Jack were sure that what he was telling them had stuck. Then he excused himself to see another patient, leaving the former couple alone with the reality of the situation.<p>

"Ronnie, we should–"

"You should go." The blonde retorted firmly.

"No."

"Katy is my daughter." Ronnie told him angrily. "She is mine."

Jack shook his head tiredly. "I'm not trying to take Katy away from you, Ronnie. She's not something that you own, that we can argue over."

"She is absolutely nothing to do with you."

"Cut the crap, Ronnie." Jack told her furiously. "You and I both know that the first time we met wasn't in the Vic." The blonde faltered, her eyes widening in response to his words. "What? You thought you were the only one who realised? Fuck, Ronnie, you're the most unforgettable woman I've ever met."

"You never said anything…"

"No, I didn't." He agreed. "I didn't know for certain until Katy told me what you told her about her father after she realised it wasn't Joel. Besides, it didn't seem worth the grief… Katy saw me as her dad and I know you, Ronnie. I knew that the second you knew that I remembered you'd make everything so damn difficult that it wasn't worth it just to make it official. I had a great relationship with our daughter and I didn't want to lose that."

"I can't handle this…" Ronnie breathed, shaking her head.

"You've got to." Jack told her angrily. "Katy is fighting to stay alive. This isn't about you or me or us. This is about our daughter. She needs us… you've got to stay strong for her, Ronnie. We can deal with everything else afterwards."

The blonde looked at him for a moment, before turning and striding away along the corridor. Jack watched her go, before letting out a long breath and letting his eyes slip shut. Composing himself quickly, Jack fixed a reassuring smile on his face and walked towards his daughter's hospital room. After a momentary hesitation he pushed open the door and smiled weakly at Katy.

Jack crossed the room and sat on her bed, reaching to hold her hand. Kissing it gently, he brushed her hair away from her eyes and rested his hand on her cheek for a moment. He was shocked at the difference in the young woman from the last time he had seen her and wondered how no one could possibly have noticed how ill she really was.

"Your mum's just getting some air." He lied softly, smiling in what he hoped was a reassuring way.

"I'm sorry…"

Jack frowned in confusion. "Sorry? What are you sorry for, babe? Why didn't you tell us?"

Katy resisted meeting his eyes, despite the fact that he was gripping her chin firmly. "I didn't… I didn't want to upset Mum. She's… she's had so much…"

"Your mum wouldn't–"

"Jack, you know that she wouldn't have coped."

"So? What was your plan? Were you going to hope no one noticed?"

"Pretty much…"

"It would never have worked." He said bluntly, upset that the young woman felt the need to hide something so big just to save Ronnie's mental state. "Besides, we're your parents… we love you, K. We need to know these things so… well, we just need to know."

Katy's mind was still on her mother, however, as she looked towards the door hopefully. "Is Mum OK?"

"She will be…" Jack assured her, more confidently than he felt, "she just needs to get her head around it."

"She's not the only one."

They talked for a little while, Jack attempting to ask questions about Katy's illness and how she was feeling, while the young woman deflected them quickly. She evidently wanted to talk about anything other than what was going on with her and Jack, despite wanting to do the opposite, respected her wishes.

By the time Ronnie returned to the hospital room, Katy had fallen into an uneasy sleep. She had tried to stay awake, desperately wanting to see her mother, but she had finally given into her exhaustion. Jack watched her as she lay against the pillow, her dark hair contrasting with the paleness of her face, wondering yet again how they could possibly have missed how ill she really was.

"How is this going to work?" Ronnie asked quietly, leaning against the wall and looking at her daughter from afar.

"What?"

"Katy being… being here."

"Do you mean Katy being ill?" Jack questioned her irritably. "Ignoring it isn't going to make it go away, Ronnie. You heard what the doctor said; the prognosis isn't good, even with the intensive treatment she's having." When the blonde pursed her lips and let her gaze drop to the floor, the man felt the anger bubble up inside him. "Do you know why she was here, willing to go through all this alone? Because of you, Ronnie. Katy tried to hide this from you because she didn't want you to have to deal with it… she didn't want you to have to face the possibility of losing another child."

"I didn't ask her to–"

"You're missing the point." He told her tiredly.

"Well it's a good job you're here to tell me where I'm going wrong." She hissed, turning and stalking out of the room.

As the door shut with a bang, Katy jerked awake. She looked around anxiously, before her eyes settled on Jack. He squeezed her hand and smiled reassuringly, noticing that her face had fallen when she realised that her mother still wasn't there.

"Was that…?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, she came to see how you were. You were asleep so she's going to grab a coffee. We didn't expect you to wake up as soon as she left."

Katy stared at him for a minute, trying to work something out. "She's not coming back, is she? She's freaked out."

"I don't know." Jack admitted weakly after a couple of moments. "I honestly don't know."

"Go and speak to her. Make sure she's OK."

Shaking his head firmly, Jack squeezed her hand again. "No way, Katy. I'm staying here. You need me. One of us has to be here for you."

"At least phone Aunty Rox… or Aunty Peg or… just phone someone to look after Ronnie."

"Katy, I–"

"I mean it." She told him firmly. "Until I know that Mum's OK… that she's not going to do something stupid… I'm not going to be able to stop worrying. Please, Jack. Please go and find her."

Looking as though it was the last thing he wanted to do, Jack stood up and reluctantly left the room, heading along the corridor in search of his ex-wife.


	107. Chapter 107

_**A/N: It has been an absolute age! I am so sorry!**_

_**I hope this chapter - although it is still quite sad - will make up for the long wait! Mitchells united! Jack and Ronnie almost reunited!**_

_**x**_

* * *

><p>When Jack found Ronnie she was sitting in the small garden area outside the hospital. Her head was in her hands and tears were rolling down her cheeks without any sign of stopping. He sighed, the words that had been forming in his mind disappearing at once as he registered just how upset his ex-wife really was. He knew Ronnie and he knew just how fragile she really was. She wouldn't be able to cope with their daughter's illness, which would make her unreasonable and selfish. In wanting to help Katy, Ronnie would alienate herself from everyone else and that was something that Jack couldn't allow to happen.<p>

"Ron…"

Before he could say anything else, she threw herself into his arms, sobbing loudly. For a moment, Jack was taken aback, not entirely sure how to react. Then he closed his arms around her tightly and held her to him. Jack wasn't sure how much time passed before Ronnie managed to pull herself together and rub the heels of her palms under her eyes angrily.

"Ron, listen, do you want me to–?"

"I'm going to see Katy." Ronnie replied firmly, cutting him off and not bothering to find out what he was offering. "You're right… of course. This is about our daughter. She needs me to be strong for her."

"Hey…" Jack reached out and squeezed her hand tightly. "I'm here."

The blonde swallowed thickly and sent him a sharp nod. "Can you phone Roxy please? Tell her… tell her where we are."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes… she needs to know."

"Of course, but…" Jack shook his head. "Now?"

"The sooner the better."

Unconvinced, he nodded and pulled out his mobile to do as she had asked. Ronnie watched him lift the handset to his ear before turning and striding back into the hospital. She took a detour via the toilets to sort her appearance before re-entering her daughter's room. The woman knew that her daughter really needed her now, more than she ever had before, which meant that she had to be strong for both of them.

Knocking lightly, Ronnie entered Katy's room and smiled weakly. She opened her mouth to speak, but her resolve failed at the unnaturally frail young woman who was staring back at her from the hospital bed. Tears sprang to her eyes and she lurched forward, wrapping Katy in a tight hug. The younger woman clung on desperately, letting her own tears escape.

"I'm sorry, baby, I'm sorry." Ronnie murmured over and over again into her daughter's hair, rocking her gently. "If I could swap places with you…"

"I need you to look after the girls." Katy said firmly, pulling back and shaking her head. "You need to be both of us to them, now."

"Don't be stupid… you'll be as right as rain." Her mother argued, refusing to believe that the brunette could possibly be thinking of worst-case scenarios already. "They're going to make you better… all these drugs. The doctor told us that you're on an intensive course of chemotherapy…"

"Did he also tell you that the prognosis isn't good?"

Ronnie looked away, not wanting to admit that he had indeed pressed that particular point to her and Jack. "You're a Mitchell. You can beat this."

"I'm doing my damn best." Katy promised her, shifting slightly on the bed. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

Running a hand gently through her hair, suddenly struck by the realisation that she might not be able to do that for much longer, Ronnie shook her head. "I'm sorry… I didn't make it easy for you. I'm crap… I'm a terrible mother…"

"No." Katy grasped her hand tightly, fire burning in her eyes. "No, you're not going to do this, Mum. I can't… if you… I need you to be positive."

"I'll do my best."

"That's all I can ask."

There was a soft knock on the door and Jack poked his head inside, smiling at the sight of the two women sitting in such close proximity. "Can I come in?"

"Of course." Ronnie answered with a sweet smile. Both Jack and Katy were slightly taken aback by her response, but neither mentioned it as he joined them. "Did you speak to Rox?"

"Answerphone. I just left a message asking her to call me back."

Katy looked between them. "I want to tell her myself."

Her parents exchanged a concerned look. "I'm not sure, sweetheart…"

"Please, Mum." The young woman almost begged. "I didn't get to tell you two… please let the news come from me."

Ronnie sighed reluctantly, glancing at Jack. He shrugged and sent her a sharp nod. "OK… but we're going to be here, alright?"

"Of course."

They didn't have long to wait before Roxy returned Jack's call. She was totally confused to hear that he was at Walford General with her sister and niece, but announced that she was heading straight over to join them, as soon as she could find someone to watch Amy, Matthew, Ruby and the twins. Within half an hour there was an impatient knock on the door and the blonde appeared in the doorway, looking completely bemused by the entire situation.

"The nurse said something about coming to check the IV?" She announced, looking between the trio in the room, before her gaze settled on her niece. "What's happened? Did you have an accident or something? I thought you were in Bristol?"

"No… not an accident. I… there's something I need to tell you." Katy told her nervously.

She squeezed her mother's hand tightly, borrowing some of her courage. Actually saying the words, actually choosing to tell someone who didn't know what was wrong with her, was harder than she'd imagined. Even telling Carol and Ritchie had been easier than this. Roxy's worried expression was making her want to back out of her decision to admit the truth.

"Oh, god, you're not pregnant again, are you?" Roxy demanded, covering her face with her hands.

"No. No, I'm not." Her niece assured her quickly. "I… I have Acute Myeloid Leukemia." She took a stuttered breath, dropping her gaze from the stunned face looking at her to her hands in her lap. "I have cancer."

There were a couple of minutes of complete silence before anyone spoke. Roxy didn't seem to be able to get her heads around the announcement and Jack and Ronnie didn't want to say anything out of turn. Katy couldn't bring herself to look up, afraid of what she might see on her family's faces.

Finally Roxy broke the tension. "You're not serious?"

"I am, actually." Katy told her bluntly. "They started the treatment yesterday… they've put me on an intensive course of high-dose chemotherapy. They've told me I have to stay in until after my first course… it could be up to six weeks…"

"Why didn't you say anything before now?" Roxy demanded, her eyes sparking angrily. She turned to look at her sister and Jack. "Did you two know about this?"

"I was scared. I was trying to pretend it wasn't happening. I tried to convince myself that if I kept it a secret it wouldn't be real." Katy admitted, shaking her head. "Mum and Jack only found out today…"

"That's stupid."

"I know." Katy replied bluntly. "You think I don't? I'm the one who's dying, here."

"Don't!" Roxy gasped, tears forming in her eyes. "You're… you're not actually…"

"I'm dying, Rox." Katy told her bluntly, a sob breaking free as she spoke. "The doctor as good as told me that all they can do is put it off."

"The prognosis isn't great." Jack informed Roxy gently, the words catching in this throat.

"But she's strong." Ronnie added determinedly, squeezing Katy's fingers. "She's a fighter. She's my daughter."

"What else can we do?" Roxy asked, leaning forward and taking hold of her niece's other hand tightly. "There must be something else?"

"Just… please don't tell anyone else. It's going to be bad enough…"

"Of course not. We won't say anything. We'll deal with this together… as a family."


	108. Chapter 108

Throughout her treatment Katy felt as though she was on some kind of rollercoaster. Some days she felt fine and other days she couldn't even stand the idea of opening her eyes. She had been given chemotherapy drugs for just over a week and then been given two weeks rest. Then the cycle was repeated. At the start of the second cycle she had started to lose her hair. It was hard to say who was more upset about it, Katy or Ronnie. The brunette had cried when a large clump had come away on her hairbrush, but her mother was equally upset when she arrived to see her and realised that the young woman had taken drastic measures and asked a nurse to cut must of it off.

Ronnie, Roxy and Jack had visited her every day, as far as they could. They had remained true to their word and not told anyone else what was wrong with the young woman. Ruby and the twins had gone to stay with Jack, which was where most people thought Katy was as well.

While they were also doing their best to keep her informed of the happenings on the Square, Katy knew that they were giving her heavily edited versions of the truth. Part of her was grateful, knowing they didn't want to stress her any more than she already was. Another part of her was frustrated that they thought she was too weak to hear the complete truth.

"… Ben doesn't understand why Sharon is going along with his drinking and to be perfectly honest–" Roxy was saying, flicking through the celebrity magazine that she had apparently bought for her niece.

"Wait… what?" Katy frowned, struggling to pull herself up straighter against the backrest of the chair.

The blonde froze, turning her gaze slowly on the young woman. "OK… promise you won't tell Ronnie I slipped up. She will kill me if she finds out. We weren't supposed to be worrying you…"

"Phil's drinking?" Katy demanded. "Sharon's letting him?"

"She apparently thinks she can handle it." Roxy waved her hand dismissively. "Katy… please don't tell Ronnie!"

"I won't." The younger woman assured her. "As long as you tell me everything else you've been keeping from me."

"There isn't anything… not really."

"What does 'not really' mean, Aunty Rox?"

"Well… Ron and I had a bit of a disagreement over Dean… she tried to sabotage us and she stole all his gear from Blades and–"

"Good on her." Katy interrupted her aunt. "What are you doing with him, Roxy? He's a rapist. You deserve so, so much better than Dean Wicks."

"Don't!"

"What? You know it's true."

"Katy, I don't want to fall out with you seeing as you're..." She trailed off, looking guilty.

"What? Seeing as I'm dying?"

"That's not what…"

"It is." Her niece argued. "That's exactly what you were going to say."

Roxy looked incredibly flustered at being called out by the younger woman. "You're… you've finished your third cycle of treatment. I was talking to the nurse the other day and she said that you're doing really well. Ronnie made them promise that if your tests come back good then they'll let you out in time for Christmas."

Katy snorted irritably, suddenly incredibly tired. "They said I should only need two cycles and I've already had three. I spent my birthday in hospital, so what does it matter if I'm here for Christmas too."

"Hey, stop it." Roxy urged, leaning forward and putting her hand on her niece's knee. "Think positively, OK? The kids all want you home for Christmas. You really want to have them visiting you in here on Christmas Day?"

"No…" The young woman admitted in a small voice. "But what if I get my hopes up and then…" She sighed. "What if I convince myself that the tests are going to show I'm in remission, but then they don't? What if it's still there?"

"You can't think like that. Be positive. You can beat this, Katy."

A light tap on the door signalled Ronnie's arrival. She smiled at her daughter, moving to press a light kiss to her forehead, before sparing her sister a quick look. Roxy stiffened instantly and Katy guessed that their disagreement over Dean hadn't been quite as small as her aunt had suggested. Curiously, the young woman watched the interaction between the two blondes and made up her mind to ask her mother about it as soon as Roxy had gone.

"How are you feeling this afternoon, sweetie?" Ronnie started at once, fussing around her. She checked that the blanket was tucked properly around the younger woman, before raising her hand to her forehead and checking her temperature. "Still sick?"

"No, I'm OK." Katy assured her softly. "Tired."

"Have a nap."

"No, I want to talk to you."

Ronnie chuckled. "I'll be here when you wake up. If you need to sleep, you should."

"How's Jack? How are the girls? And Matthew?"

"They're all fine." Her mother promised. "Sleep."

Reluctantly Katy found that the offer was too tempting and allowed her eyelids to slip shut. Ronnie watched her sleeping form for a long time. She wanted to speak to her daughter, more for her own sake than Katy's; to reassure herself that the young brunette was alright. She and Jack and spoken several times about the possible outcomes of the treatment and, while her ex-husband had done his best to stay realistic, Ronnie couldn't bring herself to even consider that it might not go the way they were hoping.

"Ms Mitchell?"

Ronnie's head snapped up as a nurse greeted her from the doorway. "Yes?"

"Doctor Owen would like a quick word with you."

Swallowing thickly, the blonde stood and strode over to the door. She paused on the threshold and sent her sleeping daughter a final look, before stepping outside and turning to the nurse. With a smile, the other woman nodded towards the doctor standing at the nurses' station. He was talking to someone else, but acknowledged the Mitchell at once.

"Ms Mitchell, how are you?" He asked, sending her a warm smile.

"I'm fine." She replied dismissively. "How's Katy? Have you got the test results back?"

"We have, Ms Mitchell, and I am very pleased to tell you that they show that the treatment has been successful and your daughter is in remission." The doctor grinned at the stunned expression on the blonde woman's face. "She can come home."

"Now?"

Doctor Owen chuckled and then shook his head. "Not at this exact moment, no. We still have a few things to do and some housekeeping before she can be discharged. But hopefully it won't be too long now and you'll have her home."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Happy New Year! :D**_

_**x**_


	109. Chapter 109

Doctor Owen was true to his word and Katy was allowed to return to the Square. That, though, brought its own problems. No one in Walford, apart from Ronnie, Roxy and Jack, knew where Katy had been for the past few months and so when the young woman reappeared with significantly less hair than she had gone away with and in, ostensibly, much worse health, there were lots of questions.

Her family were the first ones she had to face. Her daughters were used to Katy's new look and barely batted an eyelid when she moved back into the house but Honey, William and Janet, who had moved in while she'd been in hospital, looked incredibly taken aback by the drastic change in her appearance. Janet had even hidden behind her mother and refused to speak to her cousin until she got used to her new haircut. When Amy went to visit her, she immediately asked why Katy looked weird, forcing the young woman to paint a smile on her face and laugh emptily.

"I thought you wanted to come home?" Ronnie asked, two weeks after Katy's return to the Square.

"I did."

"So why haven't you left the house since you got here. You haven't changed out of your pyjamas for about a week."

"I just… I can't face people."

"You're a Mitchell. Get dressed, put your face on and get your ass outside."

"Mum… no."

Ronnie narrowed her eyes. "Well I'm not picking your daughter up from school." Katy stared at her, trying to work out whether her mother was bluffing or whether she really wasn't intending to pick Ruby up from Walford Primary. When she opened her mouth to respond, the blonde cut her off. "Don't even think about asking Roxy or Honey to do it, because they won't."

"Why are you in such a bad mood?" Katy demanded, scowling at her mother.

"Because you aren't dead and yet you're acting like you are. You're not making the most of the time you've… we've got…" Ronnie told her with a deep sigh, dropping onto the sofa beside her and holding her hands tightly. "Please, baby… we don't know…"

"We don't know if it's going to come back and kill me."

"That's not what…"

"It is what you meant." Katy replied with a shrug. "You're right; we don't know. We don't know if it's going to come back. We don't know how long I've got. We have no idea what's going to happen." She shook her head. "I'm sorry… I really am. I know this is the season for parties and being sociable but I just can't."

Ronnie pulled her into a tight hug, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Her fingers automatically moved to comb through Katy's hair, stopping sadly when she realised there was nothing to run her fingers through anymore. The pixie cut really suited the younger woman, but it took a lot of getting used to and her mother wasn't quite there yet. Her heart contracted painfully in her chest as she watched Katy, eyes closed, leaning heavily against her. It was as though she had lost her spirit along with her health.

"I really can't pick Ruby up today, though, sweetie." Ronnie told her daughter softly, pressing another kiss to her forehead. "I've got something I need to do."

"It's fine. It's the last day of term and she's going over to Kacey's house for tea."

"I really think you should try going out, though…"

Katy sighed deeply and tugged her cardigan more tightly around herself. Then she sent her mother a knowing look, tilting her head as she appraised her thoroughly. Ronnie did her best to pretend that the piercing gaze wasn't affecting her but, after a couple of minutes silence, she turned to her daughter with a pout.

"What?"

"So, you and Dad, eh?"

"Sorry?" Ronnie blinked in surprise. "Did Jack tell you that he's your…"

Katy's eyes widened, almost comically so, in astonishment at the older woman's accidental revelation. "Jack's my father?"

"I… I thought you knew? I thought that's what you were…"

"I was just going to ask if you and Jack were back together. But… this is…" Katy laughed, softly, shaking her head. "I guess changing the girls' names was… I don't know… fate."

"What do you mean you changed the girls' names?" Ronnie asked with a frown.

"When I found out I was ill, I asked Ritchie to help me write my will." Her daughter explained softly, squeezing the blonde's hand reassuringly. "I also asked her to sort out the paperwork to change the girls' names from Mitchell to Mitchell-Branning. I want Jack to have a link to them and play a part in their lives when I'm…"

"I understand." Ronnie almost whispered. "But… Jack really is your father, sweetheart. He's always known, since he met you but he didn't want to say anything in case it spoilt your relationship. He felt that you saw him as a father figure anyway and it wasn't worth risking it by telling you the truth. I didn't realise he knew until… until we found out you were ill."

"But… Jack actually is my father?" Katy murmured. "I mean… when you told me about the jacket and the initials I thought that maybe… but he actually is? That's…"

Ronnie nodded slowly, squeezing her daughter's hand. "I know."

"Are you and him getting back together?"

"How would you feel about that?"

"I'd love it." Katy told her immediately. "Not just for me… for the girls and Matthew, too. I think it would be good for them to have some stability. Jack's perfect for you, Mum. He loves you so much." She grinned at the blonde, raising an eyebrow knowingly. "And you love him. You never looked at Charlie the way you look at Jack. You've never looked at anyone the way you look at Jack."

"I do." Ronnie admitted quietly. "I do love him… more than I've ever loved anyone."

"Well, then?" Katy looked at her mother expectantly. "Have you told him? Are you getting back together? What's happening?"

The older Mitchell chuckled. "You seem…"

"What?" The brunette prompted when her mother trailed off.

"No, I… no."

"Mum? You know you can say anything to me, right? I might not always like it, but you can always tell me what you're thinking."

"You seem more like your old self." Ronnie admitted, not meeting her daughter's eyes as she spoke. "Talking about Jack and me and the future… you're like you were before the…"

"The cancer?"

"Yes."

"I know." Katy agreed. "It's… it's so hard to forget. I try, Mum, I really do. But I just… I'm not the same as I was before. I've tried… I have."

Ronnie pulled her into a tight hug. "I understand, darling, I do. I'm sorry I keep trying to force you to be like you were before… I'm sorry."

Katy hugged her tightly, knowing that Ronnie meant what she said. She understood her mother better than anyone and she knew that the blonde was struggling to cope with her illness. Ronnie was trying her best and that was all Katy could ask.


	110. Chapter 110

Christmas was fast approaching and, with Ruby, Janet and William no longer in school, the house felt incredibly crowded. Katy had reluctantly agreed to go shopping with her mother on Christmas Eve simply to escape the mayhem at home. The West End was no less busy and noisy than their house, but at least Ronnie was keen to spoil her daughter in honour of the younger woman finally leaving Albert Square.

It all got too much for Katy, however, when after going for a coffee, then lunch and then another coffee, Ronnie suggested that they stopped off for afternoon tea before heading back to Walford. The brunette eyed her mother wearily before shaking her head and folding her arms across her chest. At once Ronnie held out her hand for the shopping bags that had bumped against her abdomen at the movement, but Katy shook her head again.

"I can't eat anything else, Mum." Katy told her firmly. "Can we just go home?"

"Are you tired, sweetie?" Ronnie asked worriedly, she attempted to place her hand on her daughter's forehead but was slapped away instantly. "I've pushed you too hard, haven't I? This was too much…"

"I'm fine, Mum. Stop fussing, please."

With a deep sigh and a nod, Ronnie lead the way back towards the tube station, much to her daughter's relief.

Ronnie had decided that they were going to have a very small, quiet Christmas that year. Most of the Mitchells were heading over to the Beale's for lunch and Amy was going to lunch with Jack and Dot, while Roxy was spending the day with Dean and his family. Neither Ronnie nor Katy were at all happy about that fact, but there wasn't much they could do considering the younger Mitchell sister was refusing to talk to them, let alone listen to their point of view on the subject. Roxy had popped over to see her niece since she'd been home from hospital, but she always made sure that Ronnie wasn't in so that she wouldn't have to speak to her.

On Christmas morning, the children had all woken early and been incredibly overexcited at the realisation that Father Christmas had been and there were stockings full to bursting with presents for them all. Everyone had piled into the living room at an hour that Katy considered far too early and soon the carpet was completely hidden by reams and reams of wrapping paper.

William and Ruby had been eager to try out their new scooters, so everyone had dressed and wrapped up warm to head out onto the Square to watch them. Jessica and Sophie were content to sit on the pavement beside Matthew's pram and play with their new toys. As their mother watched her parents talking, Jessica was whirling her Ariel doll around by her tail, while Sophie was attempting to squash her Merida doll between the spokes of Matthew's pram wheel.

"Hey, titch!" Jack bent down to scoop the tiny blonde into his arms, saving the auburn curls of the plush Disney princess in the process. "Happy Christmas, sweetheart." He turned to Ronnie with a smile. "_D'you wanna come to lunch with me and Dot? I'm going to pick Amy up in a bit._"

"_Oh, Santa dropped an elf!_" Kim exclaimed, interrupting before Ronnie could answer.

"_Kim!_" Jack grinned, before dropping his gaze to Pearl's pushchair. "_You haven't got a baby as well, have you?_"

"_Yes, I've joined the motherhood._" She agreed, making Jack chuckle almost disbelievingly. "_But I'm missing her dad and gran. They've been out all night. When you see them, point them in my direction. See you later, yeah?"_

"_Merry Christmas._" Honey wished her politely.

"_I'll pick you up in about an hour, yeah?_" Jack asked Ronnie, winking at Katy as he handed her daughter back to her.

Ronnie shook her head. "_Actually, I've got some things I need to take care of. Honey, will you look after Matthew for a bit?_"

"_Of course I can._" The brunette agreed, leaning down and cooing at the baby.

"_Cheers…_" Starting to walk away, Ronnie paused and glanced over her shoulder. "Get inside soon, yeah, sweetie? You don't want to catch a cold, do you?"

Watching her for a moment, Katy smiled weakly at her father, before asking Honey whether she minded keeping an eye on Ruby. When the older woman agreed easily, the brunette scooped up her other daughter and carried the twins back into the warmth of the house. She knew her mother had a point about her not catching a cold, considering her immune system was shot to pieces, but Katy was also sure that Ronnie was up to something again. She'd disappeared almost as soon as they'd got in from shopping the day before and when her daughter had questioned her, she said that it was last minute Christmas preparation.

After an hour or so, the blonde returned home with a broad smile on her face. Honey and her children had already left for Phil and Sharon's house, leaving Katy and Ronnie alone with their children. They had a quiet morning, watching rubbish TV and playing with their new toys. Katy gave her mother the locket she had bought her, slightly uneasily. She didn't know how the blonde would react to the gift, but Ronnie was overcome with emotion. She pressed a long kiss to the side of the younger woman's head, letting her eyes slip closed as she breathed in the scent of Katy's shampoo.

A short while later, Ronnie was in the kitchen making something for lunch, when the doorbell rang. Sending a final look around the room at her daughters and brother playing with their toys, Katy heaved herself off the sofa and went to see who was at the door. Smiling broadly as she realised it was her father outside, Katy leant against the doorframe.

"You're a little late to play Santa, I'm afraid." She teased him, moving aside to let Jack walk into the house.

"Ha ha." He replied sarcastically, before pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Merry Christmas to you, too." Then he looked past her to the kitchen door, behind which a faint clattering could be heard. "Your Mum in there?"

"Yeah… she's throwing something together to resemble a Christmas dinner."

"I'm hoping to persuade her to come over to Dot's… all of you. You up for it?"

Kate nodded vehemently. "Of course. I'll get the kids ready."

"She might not say yes." Jack pointed out.

His daughter arched an eyebrow. "With your powers of persuasion? Of course she will."

Jack laughed gently and shook his head at his daughter, before heading into the kitchen and closing the door behind him. Katy wasn't sure what he'd said, but by the time she'd bundled the three little girls and her little brother into their coats, Jack and Ronnie had emerged and were ready to head over to Dot's. Katy beamed cheekily at her mother when she arched an eyebrow at the younger woman, causing Ronnie to roll her eyes and reach past her daughter to grab her coat off the end of the banister.

There were the customary greetings when they arrived at Dot's and the woman immediately ushered Amy, Ruby and the twins into the living room while Jack and Ronnie made their way to the kitchen to work on their dinner. Katy scooped Matthew out of his pram and joined her grandmother, listening as the children all chattered happily about what they'd received from Father Christmas.

When Jack finally announced that dinner was ready, Katy was absolutely starving. She was almost trampled by her elder daughter and cousin as they pushed past to get to the dining room first. Smiling at Dot, who chuckled, Katy handed her Matthew and scooped up the twins to settle them into their highchairs.

"Dean's given Roxy an engagement ring." Jack said casually as he tucked into his dinner, causing all three women to turn and look at him quickly. "And the lease to a penthouse flat in Brentwood."

"Fucking hell…" Kate muttered, before hastily holding her hands up in her grandmother's direction. "I'm sorry, Grandma!"

"Yes, well… I echo the sentiment, if not the phrasing." Dot muttered, shaking her head slightly at the young brunette.

"_Well, France definitely improved your cooking._" Ronnie told Jack with a mischievous grin, attempting to change the subject.

"_Finally! Someone appreciates my grub._"

"_Charlie always likes his hotpot._" Dot chipped in, before turning an accusing eye on the blonde seated next to her. "_It's a shame he won't be here to see his little boy this Christmas._"

"_I'll make sure I send him some photos, Dot._" Ronnie promised.

"_Oh, I expect he'll enjoy having his nose rubbed in it._" She retorted bluntly.

Jack sighed. "_Come on, Dot. Look, why don't I take us over the Vic later, raise a glass to absent family?_"

"_Yeah._" Ronnie agreed, before reaching for her daughter's hand and squeezing it tightly. "And those who are still with us."

"Mum…" Katy muttered, ducking her head slightly to avoid meeting anyone's gaze.

"_Yes, well, I might have a small glass of sherry._" Dot acquiesced. "_Come on Amy_, Ruby… _let's go and watch the Queen do her speech._"

"_Sorry about that._" Jack apologised for his stepmother's behaviour as he, Ronnie and Katy started clearing the table.

"_Water off a duck's back._" The blonde assured him with a smirk, before turning to her daughter. "You go and watch the Queen with Dot and the girls, sweetheart."

"I am capable of doing washing up, you know?"

Jack nudged her gently in the side. "Hey, don't talk yourself out of a free pass to avoid it, though!"


	111. Chapter 111

"_Merry Christmas!_" Ronnie called as soon as they walked into the pub and spotted the Mitchells settled at one of the tables. "_What's everyone having?_"

"_Oh, no… have you not heard?_" Nancy asked from behind the bar. Her face clearly indicated that something serious had happened.

While she was settling Ruby and the twins on the padded bench at the table directly behind Abi, who was only too happy to act as babysitter to the younger members of her boyfriend's extended family, Katy kept one ear trained on what was being said.

"_Heard what?_"

"_Phil's car's flipped._" Ben told them in a flat voice. "_Ian and Dennis were with him as well."_

"_I called you._" Billy added. "_Phil and Ian are alright, but little Dennis come out of the motor… got a head injury._"

"_Right, I'm gonna go there now._"

Jay shook his head. "_There's not much point. They're just running tests. Phil's text us; told us to stay put._"

"_Why don't you sit down?_" Jack suggested, rubbing Ronnie's back soothingly. "_I'll get some drinks. Come on…_"

"_Will you look after the baby?_" Ronnie requested as she moved to sit in the booth with her granddaughters.

Katy dropped heavily onto the bench beside her, leaning into her mother subconsciously.

They talked quietly for a while, watching the children playing with their toys and chatting to each other happily. No one under the age of ten had any idea that anything out of the ordinary was happening and their blissful ignorance was calming to everyone else. Jack and Katy managed to convince Ronnie not to go to the hospital, the younger woman promising to stay at the pub rather than heading home, just to keep her mother there.

"_Here, if it's alright with you, Roxy wants Amy back, OK?_" Dean asked in a less than friendly tone, taking them all by surprise.

Katy arched an eyebrow at him, taking in his stance and demeanour, which wasn't particularly far from threatening. She didn't think that he would dare do anything remotely challenging or aggressive, but she still couldn't stand anything about the man that her aunt had shacked up with. Smiling weakly at Amy, she accepted the hug that her little cousin bestowed on her and pressed a kiss to the side of her head.

"_Yeah…_" Jack agreed quietly, kissing his younger daughter on the nose, before watching her leave the pub with the younger man.

"The sooner Rox kicks him to the curb the better." Katy muttered, taking a sip of her apple juice and shaking her head.

"Doesn't look like it'll be anytime soon, though, does it?" Jack shrugged. "She seems proper loved up."

"It's sick." His daughter retorted, before a smirk twisted her lips. "It's sicker than I am…"

"Katy!" Ronnie exclaimed, slapping her lightly on the shoulder, while Jack choked on his pint. The young woman laughed. "You're so dark!"

"I'm a Mitchell, ain't I?"

"You sure are." Ronnie agreed, standing up and heading to order another round of drinks.

Katy watched as her mother leant against the bar beside Vincent. Her eyes narrowed as the pair talked quietly for a couple of moments, before Ronnie rushed out of the pub. Shaking her head at Jack, who looked as though he was about to follow her, Katy asked him to watch Ruby and the twins, before darting outside after her mother. She glanced around, catching sight of her just before she disappeared around the corner in the direction of the Arches.

"Mum?" She almost whispered as Ronnie stood in the doorway and gasped loudly. "What's wrong? What's happened?"

"I've done something terrible."

"Terrible? How terrible?" Her daughter pushed, putting her hands on the blonde's upper arms and forcing her to turn and meet her eyes. "Mum? Tell me."

"I thought… I thought it was…"

"Do I need to slap you?" Katy demanded.

Ronnie inhaled sharply and shook her head. "I paid a couple of guys to get rid of Vincent for good… they were supposed to put him in the back of a car, leave him here for a couple of hours and then take him to the crushers' yard. But…"

"He's in the Vic." The younger woman shook her head, unable to understand why her mother looked so stricken. "It's OK, Mum. They obviously didn't do it…"

The blonde shook her head, wide-eyed and tearful. "There was someone in there, Katy. There was someone in the boot of the car and now it's gone and I…"

"So if it wasn't Vincent… who was it?"

"I don't know, Katy, I don't–"

"_What have you done?_" A low voice behind them demanded. Both women whirled around to see Vincent stalking towards them, his face thunderous. "_How did I get out? Out of where? What do you mean?_"

"_I told them to tie you up. I told them to gag you and I told them to put you in the boot..._"

"_Told who?_"

"… _and take you to the scrap yard._"

There was a long silence as the three of them considered the situation. Katy drew her bottom lip between her teeth and started chewing it anxiously as she paced the floor of the Arches. Ronnie was still staring at the empty space where she had expected to see the car parked and Vincent didn't seem to understand what was going on at all. He was looking between the two Mitchell women as though they were aliens.

"Right…" Katy suddenly leapt into action. "Mum, ring the men you hired. Maybe they couldn't find him and gave up… maybe they didn't even try…"

Nodding slowly, the blonde fumbled with her mobile, selecting the number from her contacts and holding the handset to her ear. She chewed her thumbnail nervously as she waited for the call to connect but, when it went to answerphone, she looked warily at the brunette.

"_They're not picking up…_" Ronnie muttered, shaking her head at her daughter.

"_Who ain't?_"

"_Who took it?_" Ronnie demanded, looking at Vincent. "_When I sent you to get the ice who took the car?_" There was a long pause. "_Vincent?_"

"_You told them it was me? Yeah? The goons you paid? You said you wanted me sorted?_" He scowled at her. "_You said to take out the driver!_"

"_Vincent._" Ronnie and Katy stood back as he went into the Arches and started hunting around for something, evidently knowing exactly what he was looking for. Grabbing something off the table, he took off at a sprint. "_Vincent!_"

"Oh god… who was it, Mum?" Katy murmured, turning to look at her mother with fear clearly painted across her face.

"I don't know." Ronnie ground out, running a hand through her hair. "But… we need to find out. We need to try and stop them… we need to get to the scrap yard!"

She was already running away from the Arches by that point, leaving Katy to hurriedly drag the gates across and put the padlock through the doors, before hurrying to catch up with her. She gasped, leaning heavily against the railings around the gardens in the middle of the Square, trying to force the air back into her lungs and watched as her mother banged on the door to the flat Roxy shared with Dean and his family. Katy narrowed her eyes, wondering what Ronnie was playing at, before making her way slowly to join them.

"_Please!_" Ronnie was crying out, almost hysterically. "_Can I just borrow it? Please!_"

"You alright, darling?" Jack asked, catching sight of his daughter's pale face and wrapping an arm around her waist. "You should get home, you don't look well. You need to conserve your energy."

Katy shook her head and pointed towards the two blondes. "I can't… Mum needs…"

"_Ron?_" Jack was already heading over to join them. "_Where'd you go? I've been looking all over for ya?_"

"_What's the matter?_" Roxy demanded, half hidden behind the front door as though she thought her sister might hit her.

"_I've done something really stupid…_" The older blonde admitted tearfully.

Twenty minutes later they were rounding the corner and screeching to a halt on the concrete inside the gates of the scrap yard. They, or rather Ronnie, had been forced to come clean about what she'd done. Jack and Roxy hadn't made any comments, but the looks that passed between them were enough for Katy to know that they thought the blonde had gone a step too far this time. Almost before the car had stopped Ronnie was out and running towards the lone figure standing in the centre of the yard.

"_Vincent? What happened?_" When there was no answer, Ronnie sobbed, reaching behind her for her daughter's hand. Katy linked their fingers and squeezed hard. "_Vincent just tell me! Did I…?_"

"_Vincent?_" Roxy snapped.

He said nothing but strode past them, leaving the three Mitchells and Jack to turn their attention to the car that was still hanging in mid-air. Ronnie sobbed a couple of times, clamping her hand over her mouth as she tried to keep herself under control. Jack stepped closer to her, rubbing her arms reassuringly, but glancing sideways at Roxy who looked as though she was in shock. Katy felt physically sick, wondering who on earth had been in the car instead of Vincent.

After a couple of moments, Jack motioned back towards the car. Keeping his arm wrapped around Ronnie, he directed them back to the vehicle, letting the blonde slide into the passenger's seat, before shutting the door carefully behind her and climbing into the back with his daughter. None of them spoke as Roxy drove back to Albert Square; each of them too caught up in their own thoughts and fears about the situation to want to hear the others' as well.

When they reached home, the climbed out of the car, still in silence. In some sick twist of fate, Vincent happened to be walking along the road, past where Roxy had parked, just as they arrived. He stared at them and they stared back, wondering whether he was going to enlighten them as to what had happened at the scrap yard. He stopped and faced them, yet he was unable to meet anyone's gaze.

"_Just tell me._" Ronnie almost pleaded with him. "_Vincent, please… what have I done?_"

He raised his gaze to meet hers, but remained silent, causing Roxy to lose her temper. "_Oh, for God's sake!_"

"Please, Vincent." Katy attempted quietly as he simply stared at her aunt. "Just tell her…"

"_They scammed you._" He replied finally.

"_What?_"

"_You crushed an empty car._"

Ronnie faltered, shaking her head. "_No… that… that can't be true because I… I heard someone. I heard someone in the boot over at the Arches._"

"_One of your goons… to make you think they was going through with it._" He told her, almost softly. Clamping a hand over her mouth, the blonde sobbed with relief. "_They planned to take your money and run._"

Roxy led her older sister away, leaving Jack and Katy looking at Vincent. Jack frowned at him. "_Couldn't you have said all that earlier?_"

As he headed off after the Mitchell sisters, Katy sent the man who was watching them leave a weak smile. "Thank you for telling her."

Then she followed her parents and aunt towards their house. Saying a quick goodbye to Roxy, wishing her a happy rest of Christmas, the trio went into the house and closed the door. Jack and Katy hesitated in the hallway as Ronnie shut the front door, laying her palm against the wood and taking a deep breath.

"_Was there really supposed to be someone in that boot?_"

Then she turned and looked at them warily. "_Look, that was never supposed to happen. OK, they were only supposed to frighten him and then things got out of hand, but you heard Vincent, Jack. You heard him! We've both learnt our lessons._"

Jack shushed her gently, gathering her into his arms and holding her tightly against his chest. "_I really shoulda ran a mile._"

"_Yeah you should._" Ronnie agreed sadly.

"_And kept running._"

"_Yeah._"

"_As far as my legs could carry me._"

Katy knew that she should make herself scarce and leave her parents to their moment, but she couldn't bring herself to do that until she knew that they were going to be alright. When her father leant in and pressed a soft kiss to her mother's lips, a small smile appeared on the young woman's face and she ducked into the front room, almost succeeding in pushing the door closed behind her before her mother called her name.

"Katy?"

"Mmm?"

"You look exhausted, sweetie." The blonde said worriedly. "Take your meds and go to bed. We'll sort the girls."

"Thank you." She told them gratefully, pressing a kiss to their cheeks before trailing up the stairs to bed. All of the excitement had completely wiped her out.


	112. Chapter 112

Katy smiled at her cousin as Amy bounded past to get herself a drink from the kitchen and then arched an eyebrow at Honey as her parents launched into a full-scale argument about Dean and Roxy without any warning. The older brunette shrugged and returned her attention to her magazine until Billy drunkenly lurched into the living room and tumbled to the carpet in a drunken approximation of going down on one knee.

"_I've got something to say._" He slurred.

"_Billy, are you drunk?_" Honey asked as Ronnie, Jack and Katy exchanged slightly bemused looks.

"_Yeah. No. Well, I've had a few…_" Billy admitted slowly. "_The thing is, I… I've written some stuff down._" He handed her a ring box, still hunting through his pockets. "_Hold that for a minute, will ya?_"

"_Billy, is this my old wedding ring?_"

"_Yeah._" He looked at the scrap of paper in his hand and then back up at the woman in front of him, groaning at the realisation of what he'd done. "_Honey… would you…? I mean… would you…?_"

Jack sighed deeply. "_Billy, d'you want me to do it for ya?_" He offered, holding his hand out for the scrap of paper. "_Give it here, I'll read it for ya. Go on…_" Katy smirked, catching her mother's eyes as she shook her head at the sight of Billy handing over his speech. "_We've been apart now for too long, but not one day's gone by when I haven't thought of you. Would you please put everything behind us and make me the happiest man alive by becoming my wife?_"

"_Again._" Billy added.

"_Again._" Jack agreed.

"_Oh Billy…_" Honey laughed softly.

"_I think that's a yes, Bill._"

"_Well, go on, then._" Ronnie encouraged her with a warm smile. "_Yes, I would love…_"

"_Yes, I would love…_"

"…_more than anything in the whole world…_"

"…_more than anything in the whole world…_"

"…_to put everything behind us…_"

"…_everything behind us…_"

"…_and become your wife again._"

"…_and become your wife again._" Honey repeated before throwing her arms around Billy's neck and hugging him tightly.

"I'm confused." Katy whispered, looking between her parents with a cheeky smirk. "Who's actually just got engaged? Was it a double engagement, or…?"

Just before Jack could swat her half-heartedly with the back of his hand, the baby monitor on the coffee table alerted them to crying upstairs and Katy slipped past him to see what was the matter. She winked at her mother as she passed, ducking to avoid the light slap that was aimed in her direction.

"Congratulations." Katy reached out and squeezed Honey's arm, smiling at the pair of them before heading off upstairs, ruffling William's hair as he and Amy rushed towards the living room.

Up in the bedroom her daughters shared, Katy shushed the tearful fifteen-month-old quickly, before scooping Sophie out of her cot and bouncing her on her hip. Mindful that Jessica and Ruby were still asleep, Katy backed out of their bedroom and paced the landing instead, trying to soothe her crying daughter. She could hear the excited chatter from below and smiled, happy that there was some good news for the Mitchells for once. Katy hoped, too, that her parents might just get the hint that they should be equally happy.

A couple of minutes later, the cries had turned to soft whimpers and then, finally, Sophie was asleep again. Gently laying her back in her cot, Katy left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. She ran a hand across her forehead tiredly and leant heavily against the wall. She'd done her best to rest after the excitement of Christmas Day, but it had really taken its toll on her.

Not wanting to worry her parents, knowing that they would immediately jump to the worst-case scenarios – especially as she had to go for blood tests the next day and, if all was well, she would be starting her next course of chemotherapy on New Year's Day – she shouted down the stairs that she was going to bed. Going into her own bedroom, Katy pushed the door firmly closed and moved to sit in front of her mirror, popping her tablets out of the packets and reaching for the bottle of water beside her makeup bag. She looked horrendous, she decided, prodding at her face and frowning into the mirror.

Yawning, she changed into her pyjamas and collapsed onto her bed, almost asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

* * *

><p>The morning after New Year's Eve was horrible. Not only was Katy packed and ready to go back into Walford General for treatment, but it was also Matthew's first birthday and the day after the fifth anniversary of James' death. Katy couldn't honestly believe it had been so long and neither could she believe how much they had been through in those five years. She felt guilty as she leant against the doorframe, watching Jack and Ronnie talking at the dining table, while her daughters, Matthew and Amy played on the rug in front of the television, although she knew there was nothing she could do to change the situation.<p>

"Mum? Dad?" They both glanced up at the sound of her voice, painting falsely bright smiles onto their faces. "We ready?"

"Yeah… I'll just give Honey a call." Ronnie nodded sharply, heading towards the kitchen with her mobile in her hand.

Her daughter watched her sadly, knowing that she wasn't dealing very well with the situation. Jack rubbed her arm reassuringly and took her holdall, prompting her to say goodbye to the children. Giving them each a hug and a kiss on the forehead, Katy warned Ruby and the twins to be good for their grandparents while she was away.

Then she went to wait by the front door, unable to cope with prolonging the moment any more than it had to be. Jack joined her a couple of minutes later, rubbing the back of his neck and looking apologetic.

"What?"

"Ron's gone out."

Katy frowned. "What d'you mean, she's gone out? I need to get to the hospital. I thought she was coming with me?"

"She won't be long and we've got plenty of time." Jack assured her. "Calm down. Go and sit with the kids… make the most of them while–"

"While I can?"

"I didn't mean it like that."

With a sigh, his daughter forced a weak smile onto her face. "I know you didn't. I'm just… nervous."

"I know, darlin', but try not to worry."

Nodding at him, Katy went back into the living room and settled herself on the sofa, pulling her little brother onto her lap. The birthday boy beamed at her, holding out one of his toy animals in her direction. She took it and kissed him on the forehead in thanks, before turning her attention onto the four little girls on the carpet, who were playing some sort of Frozen game, while the film played in the background.

"Sorry, I'm sorry!" Ronnie apologised a short while later, letting herself in through the back door and hurrying through to the living room. "I was looking for Honey. She'll be here in about 2 mintues."

"Cutting it a bit fine…" Katy groused, although she rested her head on her mother's shoulder when Ronnie dropped onto the sofa beside her.

The blonde pressed a kiss to her head. "I know, I'm sorry, sweetie."

"Can we just–"

There was a sharp knock on the front door and they heard Jack moving to answer it. A brief pause followed, before he appeared in the living room door, arching an eyebrow as he looked between them. The meaning behind his expression became clear when, seconds later, a woman appeared behind him.

"_Hello Veronica._"


	113. Chapter 113

Katy's heart sank as she stared at her grandmother, one of the very last people she ever wanted to see. Glenda was smirking back at her, her head tilted to one side as she appraised the scene, clearly wondering who all the children were.

"_Who's that?_" Amy asked, displaying all of her usual bluntness, something which her older cousin was extremely grateful for.

"_It's my mum._" Ronnie told her, before the little girl shrugged and returned her attention to the game she was playing with her cousins.

"I see you're still hanging around like a bad penny, Katherine."

"Nice to see you too, Granny." The brunette retorted, setting her brother down on the carpet and standing up.

As she made her way over to the other side of the room, leaning against the mantelpiece, Glenda moved to sit on the window seat, smiling at the girls and Matthew warmly. Katy caught Ronnie's eye as she, too, moved away from her mother and went to stand beside Jack, who was still standing in the doorway, as though planning a quick exit. At a frown from Ronnie, he moved to sit on the sofa uneasily.

"_Why's Granny here?_" Amy asked, apparently not remotely bothered by her presence.

"_Glenda is my name, not–_"

"_Not Granny._" Ronnie finished, raising her eyebrows. "_Really?_"

"_D'you know what… shall we go next door?_" Jack suggested to the girls, scooping the twins into his arms and ushering Amy and Ruby ahead of him.

"Jack, we need to…" Katy started but quickly trailed off, unwilling to voice where they needed to go in front of her Grandmother.

"Yeah, I'll be back, OK?" He promised meaningfully. "I'll get them settled with Dot and I'll be back."

"_She's who I've come for._" Glenda announced, pointing at Amy and making everyone frown at her.

"_What?_"

"_Roxy should say goodbye._"

"_You've seen Roxy?_"

Glenda nodded. "_Turned up on my doorstep… floods of tears. Been… attacked… by her boyfriend, she said._"

"_And she came to you?_" Ronnie spat. Katy couldn't believe it either.

"_Well, I was surprised, but apparently big sister let her down._" Glenda looked nastily at Katy. "Too busy running around after you as usual, was she? _So she came to Mum._"

Ronnie chuckled, reaching out to squeeze her daughter's hand reassuringly. "_D'you know it's a joke that you even use that word._" There was a pause as the three women looked at each other carefully. "_So, where is she?_"

"_Collecting her things. She thinks she's going to Portugal._"

"_What?_" Ronnie breathed. "_Run away? What if the police need her?_"

"_Exactly what I said._"

"_Really? Because all of a sudden you care about rape, do you?_" The blonde asked her mother coldly.

"_It does, always, have to be about you, doesn't it?_" Glenda asked nastily, standing up and walking towards the younger Mitchells.

"_I wanna see her. You can't stop me._" Glancing sideways at her daughter, she exhaled. "She needs to see Katy before she goes…"

Glenda shrugged. "_I want you to see her. I want you to talk her out of this… why else do you think I'm here? She sees Amy, sees you… maybe some sense will land in her head. We're on the same page, just this once._"

"Mum…" Katy turned to Ronnie and lowered her voice. "I really need to go. I… I think you should stay here and talk to Aunty Rox. I'll get Dad to take me to the hospital."

Ronnie shook her head. "No, baby. I want to be there with you."

"It's fine, this is more important at the moment. You can come and see me later."

"Why are you going to the hospital?" Glenda asked, overhearing the whispered exchange.

There was a hesitation before Katy raised her chin defiantly and answered her grandmother's question. "I've got cancer. I'm starting my next round of chemo today."

"She's dying." Amy said innocently.

Ronnie shushed her niece quickly. "No, she's not. She's a fighter. She's beating it."

"Cancer?" Glenda breathed, as though she hadn't expected that answer at all. Katy assumed she had been expecting some trivial reason, or that she was visiting someone.

"Leukaemia." Katy nodded slowly. "Mum doesn't need your drama… she's got enough to deal with."

"I quite agree." Glenda replied, holding up her hands. "I'm not trying to make things harder. I simply want her to talk Roxy out of her stupid plan."

"It's not going to work." A new voice informed them bluntly. Everyone turned to see Roxy leaning in the doorway. "It's for the best."

"Rox–" Her older sister started, but the blonde cut her off.

"Amy, sweetheart… I've got to go away for a while, OK? I need you to stay here with Daddy and Aunty Ronnie.

"Why?" Amy demanded. "I want to come with you."

Roxy shook her head. "It'll be like an adventure, OK? You'll be better off here. _And we'll talk every day on the phone… and on the laptop like you do with Daddy, won't we?_"

"_You don't have to do this…_" Jack said, shaking his head.

"_Jack, please. My flight's in a few hours, OK?_"

"_Can't I come with you?_"

"_I wouldn't be very good at looking after you._" Roxy admitted softly, stroking her daughter's cheek gently. "_You deserve that, don't you? You… you deserve someone to look after you._"

"_Roxy…_" Ronnie said quietly.

"_You have better fun with Daddy anyway, don't you?_" Roxy continued, ignoring her sister.

"_We'll have a good time, darlin'._" He promised.

"_Amy… it's for the best, OK?_"

"_Is that right?_" Glenda asked.

Ronnie scowled at her. "_Stay out of it._"

"_I'm helping._"

"Yes, you're doing a splendid job." Katy told her sarcastically.

"_You haven't helped in five years and even when you were here what good did you do?_" Her mother demanded, letting her hand rest on her daughter's thigh. She squeezed it softly telling her, without words, not to interfere.

Throwing her hands up theatrically, Glenda strode from the room in the direction of the kitchen. Ronnie exhaled sharply and shook her head, leaning into her daughter as Katy rubbed her upper arm soothingly.

"_I'm going and you're not changing my mind._" Roxy informed the older blonde firmly.

"Aunty Rox… please…" Katy almost whispered.

Roxy crossed the room and stood in front of her niece, cupping her cheeks and resting her forehead on the brunette's. "I know you'll be alright, OK? I know you will. You need to beat this and get back here to look after your mum, alright?"

"She needs you here." Katy argued. "You need her."

"She needs **you**. You're stronger than me; you always have been."

"Please, Roxy…"

"I'll be back… soon."


	114. Chapter 114

Katy was less than happy to go into hospital after that. She knew she had no choice, but the idea of going away while everything was happening at home was almost too much for her. The young woman was also incredibly unhappy that her grandmother now knew that she had three great-granddaughters. Glenda had been very taken with the three little girls, especially Ruby who was incredibly interested in the older blonde as well.

Ronnie had promised that she wouldn't allow Glenda to spend time with them, let alone leave them in her sole company. They doubted, though, that she would stick around for any length of time and Ronnie wholeheartedly believed that she would return home to find out that her mother had already left the Square. She was disappointed that she hadn't managed to change Roxy's mind, but not surprised.

Her second round of chemotherapy was just as intense as the previous course but, unlike the last time she had been in hospital, Katy was finding it much tougher. She felt much more tired than she had last time and the drugs made her feel terrible. She had discussed changes to the treatment with the doctors as they looked for a course of action that would have less effect on her, but nothing seemed to work. In the end, Katy decided that she just needed to get through it in order to come out the other side.

Before she knew it, January had rolled into February and Katy was almost climbing the walls. She couldn't wait to leave Walford General and get home. The first time she was due to be discharged, the medical staff decided that she wasn't well enough to leave. Her tests hadn't come back showing what they expected and so she was encouraged to stay in for a bit longer. Ronnie and Jack had persuaded her that it was best she listen to the doctors and that it wouldn't be for long.

Finally they decided that she had made enough of an improvement to be allowed to leave. Katy was ready to leave before her mother had even arrived to pick her up. She couldn't wait to leave the sterile surroundings of her hospital room and get back to the normality of her life on Albert Square. Where she had been nervous to return to her home after her first stay in hospital, now Katy couldn't wait.

"What's been going on, Mum?" She asked as soon as they were in the blonde's car.

"I've been telling you all the news." Ronnie reminded her with a chuckle.

"Yes, the edited version, because I couldn't argue." Katy pointed out, arching an eyebrow. "I want to know what's really been going on."

"What makes you think I haven't told you everything?"

The younger Mitchell laughed. "Really?"

"Well, I haven't seen or heard from Glenda or Roxy since you went into hospital. Jack and Amy have been living with us, which has made things a bit cramped."

"Mum, I know all this. You've told me."

"Well what do you want to know?" Ronnie asked, exasperatedly.

"What haven't you told me. How's Phil? How are things between him and Sharon?"

"Not great." Her mother admitted, turning onto the Square. "He's really ill, Katy… his drinking is out of control."

"What's wrong with him?"

"Cirrhosis of the liver." Ronnie sighed, parking up outside their house. "We only found out at Billy and Honey's engagement party… he coughed up so much blood. It was horrific. The doctor said that if he doesn't stop drinking…"

"How long?"

"Maybe a year…"

Katy exhaled and shook her head. "I'm assuming he hasn't stopped."

"No… he's living with us."

"What?" The brunette turned her head sharply to look at her mother. "Are you serious? He's still drinking and you're letting him be around the kids?"

"I'm dealing with it."

"How?" Katy demanded, turning in her seat and frowning at the older woman. "You haven't managed to stop him drinking."

Ronnie scowled at her, before reaching for the door handle. "Leave it to me."

"Yeah, because that's going so well…" Katy muttered under her breath as she climbed out of the car and waited for the blonde to follow.

Slinging her daughter's holdall over her shoulder, Ronnie smiled at the younger Mitchell and unlocked the front door, ushering her inside and out of the cold. At once there was a commotion as Katy's daughters and Amy rushed to greet her, wrapping their arms around her and hugging her tightly. As soon as they had all been fussed over, Katy found herself being pulled into the strong, reassuring embrace of her father's arms.

Jack pressed a kiss to the side of his daughter's head. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

"I'm OK." She replied vaguely, smiling at him, before moving away to sit on the sofa between Amy and Ruby, listening to their happy chattering.

Although she could still feel him watching her, his eyes boring into the side of her head, Katy ignored Jack completely. She didn't want sympathy or to be fussed over. Truthfully she didn't feel OK at all, but she wasn't about to admit that in front of her parents, or they would force her back to the hospital for the doctors to run more tests.

"Mum?" Ruby crawled into Katy's lap. Amy had rushed into the kitchen in search of something to eat. "Are you going away again?"

Smiling weakly at her daughter and tucking her hair behind her ears, Katy shook her head. "Not for a while, sweetie."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"I didn't like it when you were gone."

"I didn't like it either." Katy told her.

The four-year-old looked at her carefully for a moment and Katy waited for whatever question was being formulated in her daughter's mind. She wondered what Ruby was thinking about, wondering just how deep the question could possibly be. Katy doubted it would be anything about her health, because they had kept almost everything from the children.

"Mum?"

"Yes, sweetie."

"Georgia asked me where my dad was and I told her I didn't have one. But she said that everyone has a dad so I have to have one."

"Well she's wrong. You haven't got one." Katy replied firmly. "Not everyone has a dad."

"But… can I have one?" Ruby asked, blinking innocently up at the woman. "Georgia's takes hers for ice cream and buys her stuff. He bought her a Frozen dress before… like Princess Anna's."

"Maybe one day…" Katy sighed. "But you've got Granddad instead. He's better than any dad. He'll take you for ice cream and buy you Frozen dresses if you ask him nicely."

"But I want a dad."

Running a hand tiredly over her face, the brunette sighed again. "No, sweetheart. That's not going to happen."

"Why?"

"Because… because I've got more important things to worry about at the moment."

"Because you're sick?"

She nodded. "Yeah, exactly."

"But Grandma said you were getting better?" Ruby's face crumpled and Katy's heart clenched.

"I am, sweetheart. I am." She promised, pressing a kiss against her daughter's head and hugging her tightly. "But I still have to be careful."

"Maybe soon, then?"

"Maybe soon." Katy agreed reluctantly.


	115. Chapter 115

"Why do I feel like there's something no one is telling me?" Katy asked Honey, leaning back against the back of her chair and wrapping her hands around her mug.

"Like what?" The older brunette asked innocently.

"About Mum… something's bothering her. She's upset and I don't know why."

"Well… I imagine that she's worried about you and–"

Katy shook her head. "No… this isn't about me; there's something else. I think you know what it is."

"Katy, I have no idea. I just–"

"Please, Honey." The young woman almost begged. "I know you know what it is."

"I promised her I wouldn't say anything…" Honey sighed, looking guilty. "She didn't want you to find out."

"Just tell me!"

With a deep exhalation, Honey leant forward as though everyone else in the café was interested in eavesdropping on their conversation. "Joel's dead. There was an accident when he was on holiday with his wife and they were both killed. Ronnie didn't find out until after the funeral and she didn't want you to hear that your father–"

"He's not my father." Katy informed her bluntly.

Honey frowned. "What? I thought…"

Shaking her head, the younger woman sighed. "Jack is my father. It's complicated, but… Joel is nothing to do with me. I mean, I'm sorry he's dead and all, but…"

"Ronnie tried to give Joel's daughter money. I think she felt guilty for what she did when she broke up their family."

"She didn't make Joel leave, did she?" Katy demanded defensively. "He made his choice."

"Yes, well… clearly Ronnie wanted to make up for it."

"And?"

"The kid wasn't interested. She tore up your mum's cheque and stormed off."

"Don't sound like she deserved Mum's help to me." Katy replied firmly. "Look, Honey… I might be ill, but I'm not going to break. I'm still part of this family. I'm still a Mitchell. If anything needs sorting, you come to me, right? Nothing has changed."

"Katy…"

"No, I mean it. I want things to go back to normal."

"You can't bury your head in the sand, sweetheart. You **are** ill."

"I know that." The younger woman shook her head and snorted mirthlessly. "I am reminded of that fact every single day. Every single time I look in the mirror I remember that I'm dying. I just don't need everyone else reminding me of it too."

"But you're not–"

"Oh, come off it, Honey." Katy looked at her in disbelief. "Of course I am. That last round of chemo… it didn't go as well as they were hoping. It was touch and go whether I'd be well enough to leave hospital. Even you aren't so at home in cloud cuckoo land that you don't understand what that means."

"But Ronnie never…"

"Of course Ronnie never said." Katy rolled her eyes. "She doesn't want to admit it. She thinks that if she ignores it, it'll go away. But it won't… not this time."

Honey reached out and took the younger woman's hand across the table, squeezing it sympathetically. "How are you so calm about this?"

"Because what's the alternative? Sulking? I did that; remember? There's no way round this, Honey. I can't scream and shout at this until it goes away. I can't reason with it or bribe it. I've just got to deal with it for as long as I can." With a deep sigh, the young woman forced a smile onto her face. "Now… let's talk about something else. Have you managed to find a drama class for Janet, yet?"

As the older woman launched into an in depth conversation, largely one sided, about Janet and the drama club she had found that had places available for her daughter, Katy slouched in her chair and wrapped her hands around her mug. She nodded and made all the right noises to assure Honey that she was listening to her, but the younger brunette was brooding on the conversation they'd just finished. She was wondering about Joel's daughter and what she could possibly want from Ronnie. If it wasn't money, she wasn't sure what it would be.

"… because technically I'll only be ten, but obviously that's not–"

"Sorry, what?" Katy interrupted Honey's monologue with a frown.

"My birthday." The older woman beamed at her. "On Monday. It's a leap year so I can celebrate on my actual birthday for once."

"Oh, of course. Sorry, Hon."

"It's OK. You don't want to be thinking about birthdays and things at the moment."

Arching an eyebrow at her, Katy shrugged. "Birthdays are exactly what I want to be thinking about. I want normality."

"Then you'll be up for a few drinks at the Vic tonight?" Honey told her firmly, making it sound more like an order than a question. "Pam's said she'll come and I'm hoping we can drag Ronnie out with us as well."

"I dunno, Honey. I'm not sure I'm ready for nights out just yet."

"Please?"

Reluctantly, after quite a lot of begging, Katy agreed to the request, much to the older woman's delight. As Honey got carried away, forcing Katy to reel her back in and steer her away from the idea of heading up West after a few drinks at the pub, they wandered slowly through the Square in the direction of Walford Primary. All the way to the school, Honey talked about their plan for that evening, until Katy was sick of hearing about it.

Not remotely sorry when they separated on the playground, Honey heading over to the Juniors and Katy walking around to the Infants, the younger woman pulled out her mobile and pretended to be fascinated by something on it so that she didn't have to make conversation with any of the other parents. She knew they were talking about her, as they had every morning that she'd been to drop off and afternoon that she had been to pick up.

As soon as Amy and Ruby had been sent out to her, Katy hurried them away to wait for Honey, Janet and William at the gates. The girls chattered excitedly, happy that it was Friday and two days without school were waiting for them. Janet and William were similarly excited when they joined their cousins at the top of the playground. Keeping a firm hold on the four children as they dodged prams and cars and other pedestrians, the two women skilfully made their way safely back to Albert Square.

"Ronnie, Katy's agreed to come to the Vic with us tonight." Honey announced almost as soon as they'd all fallen through the front door and the house was suddenly alive with noise and movement.

The blonde blinked up at them from the sofa, Matthew sleeping peacefully on her chest as she watched the television with one eye and the twins playing on the carpet with the other. "She did? You did?"

"I did." Her daughter replied with a shrug, pressing kisses to the tops of Jessica and Sophie's heads, before grudgingly lifting the latter into her arms as the little girl clutched at her insistently. "Honey promised it was only for a few."

"I just think it'll be good for her to get out for a while." Honey said with a shrug, stepping out of the way as the children tore past on their way upstairs, footsteps pounding as they disappeared form sight. "You did say you wanted normality, Katy."

"I do." The young woman agreed, settling herself on the sofa with her daughter in her arms. "I really do."


	116. Chapter 116

Sitting in a booth in the Vic later that evening, Katy traced the rim of her glass with her finger, listening to the conversation going on around her without really taking any notice of what was being said. She listened to her mother and Honey laughing and joking, watching as they motioned towards where Pam was sitting with Les. Uncharacteristically for her mother, both women were 'cooing' and 'awwing' over the older couple and, although Katy was pleased for the Cokers, it was making her feel slightly ill.

"Why are there loved up couples everywhere?" She moaned finally, drinking the last of her orange juice and leaning back against the cushions. "You and Jack, you and Billy, Pam and Les, Whit and Lee, Ben and Abi… everywhere I go!"

"Oh, sweetheart, there's someone out there for you." Honey assured her immediately. "You just need to look."

"That's not what I'm saying." Katy muttered irritably. "I'm not in any position for a relationship, am I? I can't drag someone into my life… the kids' lives… and then just…"

"Stop it." Ronnie ordered her. "You have got to start believing that you're going to be around for a long time yet. If you don't believe it, if you don't start living your life, then what's the point?"

"Alright, Mum."

"No, Katherine, I mean it." The blonde snapped.

"OK." Her daughter sighed. "OK."

She allowed the conversation to be resumed around her, wrinkling her nose and doing her best to ignore the irritating topic of conversation. She played with a beer mat absentmindedly, propping up her head on one hand and barely bothering to attempt to stifle her yawn. Katy was on the verge of giving up and announcing she was going home when the pub doors opened and a group of rowdy young men entered, heading straight for the bar.

Realising that her mother and Honey were checking them out, no doubt on her behalf, the young woman rolled her eyes. Gathering her things before they could stop her, Katy pressed firm kisses to the crowns of both their heads, completely ignoring their complaints and waving at them as she headed for the double doors. She had almost made it when a hand on her arm and a familiar voice, that she couldn't quite place, stopped her in her tracks.

"Katy?"

Turning, the young woman realised that she did know who the voice belonged to and a smile turned up the corners of her lips. "Tyler! What are you doing here? It's been, what… nearly three years?"

"Yeah, coming up three. How've you been? How's Ruby?" Taking her arm gently, Tyler led her over to a quieter corner of the Vic. Katy, surprised that he'd remembered her daughter's name after all that time, allowed him to do so without complaint. "What've you been up to since I left the Square?"

"This and that… Ruby's amazing. She's four now… started at Walford Primary last September. I'm… I'm OK." She smiled brightly, before steering the conversation away from herself. "What have you been up to? Where've you been?"

"Well, I left here to work on a cruise ship, as you know."

Katy chuckled. "Yeah, how did that work out for you?"

"Awful." Tyler replied at once, shaking his head and wincing. "I was literally ill all the time. I never really thought I'd get seasickness, but it was terrible."

Laughing at the pained expression on his face, the young woman raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing that didn't last long, then?"

"Nah, I stayed on in Greece for a bit as a holiday rep which was a laugh. But then I missed my family, you know, so I came back to London. Dad set up in Romford, so I've been living and working there for nearly a year now."

Noticing Tyler glancing towards the bar, Katy smirked. "Whit's engaged, sorry."

"What?" He looked confused for a moment, before shaking his head. "Nah, I weren't looking for Whitney."

"You got a girlfriend, then? I bet you've had a few since you left here."

Tyler laughed. "A couple. I ain't got one at the moment though. What about you?"

"I haven't got a girlfriend, no." Katy deadpanned, earning herself a smirk from her former boyfriend.

"Boyfriend?"

"Nah… too much going on at the moment."

"Oh yeah? Still running the R&R are you?"

"Not at the moment, no." Katy told him. She chewed the inside of her cheek nervously, wondering whether to tell Tyler about the twins or not. If he was planning on sticking around now he'd ventured back to Albert Square it was inevitable that he would find out and Katy wouldn't want him to hear from someone else, but if he wasn't going to be around then she didn't see much point in telling him. "So… what brings you back here?"

"It's Greg's stag. I thought I'd bring him here and show him what a real boozer is like. He's into all those pretentious bars in the city… I'm trying to educate him."

"So it's only a fleeting visit then." She replied curiously. "Lucky you bumped into me and we got to catch up."

"Well, I've been thinking about coming back for a while now… you know, expanding the Moon Empire."

"Really?"

Tyler nodded, his expression earnest. "I mean, I know the Emporium didn't do too well last time, but things have changed, haven't they? Dad and I have been talking about giving it another go round here."

"That would be good." Katy told him guardedly.

He smiled broadly. "Yeah?"

"I could do with some old mates coming back." She replied with a shrug and a small smirk. "Lauren and Peter are over the other side of the world, Lola's and Fats have gone, Whit's wrapped up with Lee and the Carters all the time, Jay's got a new girlfriend who takes up all of his time and Ben and Abi…" Katy pulled a face, displaying what she thought about the younger couple.

"So you'd be happy if I came back then?"

Trying to hide the smile that was twisting her lips even more, Katy shrugged. "Maybe. Just a little bit."

"I'll give it some serious thought, then." Tyler assured her, grinning broadly.

Katy couldn't deny the spark that seemed to be between them, as much as she wanted to. It would be so much easier for her if there was no chance of anything developing between them, but she wasn't enough of a masochist to ignore the way her heartbeat was thudding in her chest as the young man smiled warmly at her. Taking a deep breath, Katy knew she had to tell Tyler the truth if there was any chance of rekindling their previous relationship.

"Ty…"

"What?"

"If there's any chance of anything… of you and me… I need to tell you something."

He tilted his head slightly to the side, watching her carefully. "What is it? You married or something?"

"No… but…" Katy inhaled sharply. "Ruby's not an only child. I had triplets but my… my son died."

"I'm…" Tyler trailed off, apparently not knowing what to say to that revelation.

"Yeah." She agreed with a soft sigh. Then she smiled. "I've got my girls, though. Sophie and Jessica are seventeen months old now."

"Three kids under five… I bet they're a handful."

Katy laughed, relieved that he hadn't run a mile at the news. "They are a nightmare when they're on form. With Amy and Matthew under the same roof as well…" She shook her head. "I have no idea how Mum coped when Janet and William were living there too…"

Tyler furrowed his eyebrows as Katy's eyes went wide and she looked away, trying to cover up the fact she had said too much. "Weren't you there?" Seeing that she was reluctant to answer he chuckled awkwardly. "Banged up or summit, were you?"

"I was in hospital."

"Oh… nothing serious, I hope."

"I…"

"Katy…" He reached over the table and squeezed her hand. "We're mates, aren't we? You can tell me anything, K."

"I've got cancer." She admitted quietly. "Leukaemia."

"Wow…" Tyler leant back in his chair, letting her breath out slowly between his teeth with a whistle. "That's tough. What's the… you know… how are you?"

"I'm OK at the moment. Two rounds of chemo down and I'm still standing so… that's got to be a good thing."

"Of course it is. Listen… I'd better get back to the boys, but I'll call you tomorrow, yeah?"

Katy nodded and smiled weakly as he stood up and headed back to the bar. She had absolutely no doubt in her mind that she wouldn't hear from Tyler again after her double revelation. Pointedly avoiding the eyes of her mother and Honey, who had been watching the exchange carefully, Katy left the pub and headed home dejectedly.


	117. Chapter 117

To Katy's immense surprise, Tyler phoned her on Monday. When he hadn't called on Saturday, she thought she was right in her assumption that he wasn't intending to get in touch with her after learning that she had three children and was battling cancer. He apologised profusely, claiming that he'd had a two-day hangover after the stag do and hadn't been capable of doing anything over the weekend.

On Thursday, having been roped into helping with Honey's 40th birthday party on Monday and Tyler being busy on Tuesday and Wednesday, Katy agreed to meet him for a drink. Deciding to steer clear of the prying eyes and gossiping tongues of the Vic, the pair met at the tube station and went to the Albert instead. They had talked about going up West, but Katy was reluctant to go too far in case something happened and she was needed at home. Tyler was only too happy to go along with her decision, keen to see what the new bar had to offer.

He returned to the small table they'd commandeered in the corner of the busy room with their drinks and settled himself comfortably beside the young woman. Katy was struggling to get her head around the situation. It was as though nothing had changed in the past three years; she felt as relaxed around the young man as she had done then. Conversation flowed easily and they laughed and joked as though they didn't have a care in the world. Katy even managed to forget everything that was weighing down on her while they talked.

"I've had a really great time." She admitted, almost reluctantly, as they left the bar and walked slowly towards Number 27.

"Me too." Tyler assured her quickly. "Can I take you out again? Maybe dinner, next time?"

Katy hesitated. "Ty… I don't know. I… I'm not sure it's…"

Taking hold of her hands gently, he smiled. "I know you're worried about the cancer and about the girls but… Katy, I want to be there for you… all of you." He told her seriously as they arrived outside the house and stopped on the pavement. "I know it's going to take more than one date for you to trust me or that and to let me be part of your life, but I'm willing to work towards that."

"You don't want to be lumbered with a sick, single mother and three kids." She replied, shaking her head sadly. "It's not fair on you."

"I don't care about fair." He told her bluntly. "If I… if I hadn't messed up last time then… well… maybe we'd still be together. Maybe the twins would be mine."

"It wasn't your fault."

"It was." He argued. "I messed up and spoilt what we had. Let me try again."

"Tyler…"

The light in the hallway of Katy's home turned on, shining through the window above the door. Knowing that they were probably being spied on through the living room curtains and that the front door would no doubt be opened any moment, the young woman sighed deeply. Raising a hand to Tyler's cheek, Katy smiled sadly. Her eyes searched his for a long moment, before she leant in and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"Give me time, OK?" She requested. "I would… I…"

"Take as long as you want." He replied gently. "I'll be here."

Leaning in again, Katy was just about to kiss him again, when the front door opened and they sprang apart guiltily. Ronnie was smirking at the pair, earning herself a frown from her daughter, who simply said goodnight and kissed Tyler on the cheek, before walking inside. The blonde paused for a moment, watching the young man carefully as he retreated into the night, before following her daughter's path.

"Thanks, Mum." Katy muttered, dropping onto the sofa and flinging her arm dramatically over her eyes. "Way to ruin the moment."

"Right, because you weren't just giving him the brush off?"

"You could hear?" The brunette demanded, peering at her mother in astonishment.

Ronnie shook her head. "No, it was just a hunch. But I was right?"

"I just…"

"You're scared."

"It's not fair on him, Mum." Katy replied sadly. "He doesn't realise what he's letting himself in for. Three kids under five? Me in and out of hospital all the time? Tyler's twenty-five; he doesn't need this."

"I'd say that's his decision, wouldn't you?" Ronnie pointed out gently, pulling her daughter towards her and running her hands soothingly through her hair when Katy rested her head on her shoulder. "I think you're scared of letting him in."

"You can talk."

"I know. You're too like me for your own good." The older Mitchell agreed.

Suddenly realising something, Katy sat up and looked around, frowning lightly. "Where's Jack?"

Ronnie's face instantly tightened and she sniffed irritably. "We had an argument. He left."

"What?" Katy demanded, her face contorting in annoyance. "Mum? What happened?"

"We… he said… he asked me if I loved him and I…"

Sighing, her daughter shook her head. "Why didn't you just tell him that you do? Mum, that's all he wanted to hear. Why didn't you go after him?"

"It's too late." Ronnie told her bluntly. "He took Amy… they're going to France."

"Then we've got to stop them!" Katy said, as though it was the obvious course of action. "We have to go now. Honey can come and watch the kids while we–"

"No."

"Mum! Come on, we have to–"

"Katy, no." She snapped. "I am not playing these games with him. You're ill… I'm not dragging you out in the middle of the night to God knows where, just because your father is having a strop."

Shaking her head, wide-eyed, the younger woman breathed out in disbelief. "I honestly don't know where you get the nerve to try and convince me that I should let Tyler in when you've just completely messed up your life. How difficult would it be to just tell Dad you love him? We all know it's true. Why couldn't you just admit it?"

"It's not like I don't have enough to think about, is it?" Ronnie snapped frostily. "Phil, you, Matthew, the girls? When do I have a second to think about myself?"

"Oh… that's just typical, isn't it?" Katy scowled. "Go on, Mum, blame everyone else just like you always do."

"Me? What about you? Nothing is ever your fault, is it? There's always someone else to blame."

"Yeah? Well I wonder where I got that from?" The younger Mitchell almost shouted at her mother. Both women were acutely aware that four children and an alcoholic were asleep upstairs and waking any of them could lead to more hassle than it was worth. Taking a deep breath, Katy shook her head again. "Mum… you and Dad belong together. You know it and I know it. All I want is for you to be happy…"

"Sweetheart, I've got you and your brother and the girls." Ronnie told her softly, cupping her cheek and smiling gently. "You're all I need."

"Don't bullshit me, Mum. I **know** you need Dad and that's OK. It doesn't mean you love us any less because you love him."

"I just…"

"Tomorrow, alright?" Katy told her mother firmly. "Tomorrow we'll track Dad down and you can tell him that you need him. OK?"

"OK."


	118. Chapter 118

"You're looking better, love." Pam smiled, catching Katy's arm as she left the Minute Mart on her way back to Number 27. "I'm so glad. How're you feeling?"

"Stronger, yeah." The younger woman agreed.

She actually meant it, too. The past couple of days had seen her feeling much better; much more like her old self. She was hoping that, when she went back to Walford General for her next lot of tests, the doctors would back up her hope that she was gradually getting back to where she wanted to be health wise.

"I hear you went out with that dishy young man you met in the pub." The blonde continued with a wink. "Honey tells me he's on old flame of yours."

Katy smiled, almost against her will. "Tyler… we went out for a while a couple of years ago. I never expected him to come back to the Square… it was a bit of a shock, really, especially with everything that's happened since he left."

"And will you be seeing him again?"

"Maybe… probably." The Mitchell chuckled at the expression on the older woman's face. "I hope so, anyway."

Leaving the woman on her stall, Katy continued towards the house. Letting herself in, she poked her head around the doorframe into the living room and frowned at the sight that greeted her. A man she had never seen before was sitting beside her mother on the sofa, clearly leaning in with the intention of kissing Ronnie.

"What's going on?" They sprang apart instantly, two pairs of surprised eyes fixing on the brunette in the doorway. Ignoring her mother, Katy stared at the man, taking in his appearance carefully as he gaped at her. "Who are you?"

"Katy, this is Tim Reynolds… Joel's brother."

"Oh yeah?" The younger Mitchell arched an eyebrow. "What d'you want?"

"Katy!" Ronnie frowned at her not surprised by her rudeness, but needing to chastise her for it anyway. "Manners…"

As the younger woman rolled her eyes at her mother and returned her irritable gaze on the man beside her, Tim cleared his throat. "You… you're Katy?"

"So what?"

"You're Joel's daughter?"

"No." Both Mitchells answered together; Ronnie in a gentle tone and Katy with a dismissive snort.

"I'm not his daughter. It was a… mix up." The brunette explained, attempting to spare her mother from having to explain. "He knew I wasn't his daughter."

"You're not Joel's daughter?"

"Oh my God…" Katy looked at her mother in disbelief. "Is he for real?"

Clearing his throat embarrassedly, Tim stood up and tugged at the bottom of his jacket nervously. "I think I should go."

"Yeah, I think that would be a good idea."

"Katy…" Ronnie shot her another look, before following the man into the hallway and smiling weakly at him.

"_I'm sorry, OK._" Time apologised as the blonde opened the door and stood back to let him leave.

She smiled weakly again and shrugged her shoulders. "_It's just the shock. I mean… I was close to Joel, but you were too, so…_"

"_He still talked about you, you know?_"

"_Yeah, well, Joel was always fond of lost causes._" Ronnie told him. Leaning against the wall behind Tim, Katy rolled her eyes.

"_That's what he said._" Tim agreed.

"_Really? That I was a lost cause?_" Glancing up towards the ceiling, the blonde smirked and laughed softly. "_Thank you, Joel!_"

"_That he hoped you weren't._" The man corrected her. "_That he hoped you'd found someone too._"

"_I have._" She replied instantly. Then her face fell slightly.

"_Lucky fella._"

"Yeah." Katy agreed, pushing herself away from the wall. "Bye now."

"That was really unnecessary, Katy." The blonde said as soon as they were alone. "The poor man's lost his brother. They were close… he's grieving."

"So that makes it alright for him to try and kiss you, does it?"

"Hey!" Ronnie shook her head. "Nothing happened!"

"What about Dad? I thought we were going to find out where he was so you can tell him you love him?"

"Katy…"

The brunette folded her arm. "No. You are not backing out of this one. Let's go and see Honey, right now, before you mange to worm your way out of it."

Grasping Ronnie by the arm, Katy steered her out of the house and through the gardens. The blonde complained half-heartedly as they headed towards Billy and Honey's flat. By the time they were waiting outside the door, Ronnie had stopped arguing and had come around to the idea of opening herself up to the possibility of letting Jack into her heart.

"Hey, Honey." Katy smiled at the older brunette before nudging Ronnie forward. "Mum's got something to say."

"_It's my turn… to say I'm sorry._"

"_What?_" Honey blinked uncertainly.

"_I've been shutting myself off for no good reason._"

"_Ronnie…_"

"_At least I should try!_" The blonde burst out. "_At least I should see if me and Jack can make a go of things. I mean, what's the worst that could happen? I end up on my own, which is exactly what I am now._"

"Oi…"

"You know what I mean." Ronnie told her daughter, rolling her eyes.

When Honey didn't respond, mother and daughter stared at her expectantly. "_What?_"

"_Well I think you should come and take a look at this…_" Honey told them, motioning towards her laptop. As Ronnie and Katy moved to sit beside her she opened the lid. "_I was searching for Jack's profile._"

"_Yeah…?_"

"_Then I came across this photo he was tagged in._"

Katy furrowed her eyes as Ronnie shrugged. "_That's Delphine… that's his ex in France. 'Last night of freedom.'_" She frowned as she read the caption.

"_Don't look like his ex anymore… Looks like her and Jack are getting married._"

"What…?" Katy breathed, unable to believe that it could possibly be true. "No, that's… Dad would have said… he would have told me…"

"I… thanks Honey…" Ronnie murmured, as though she was in a daze.

As her mother stood and left the flat without saying anything more, the younger Mitchell smiled at Honey and hastily followed her mother outside. Ronnie said nothing as they crossed the Square and entered Number 27. Katy tried to speak to her, but the blonde simply moved to sit at the dining table and opened her laptop. Without looking the young woman knew that her mother was staring at the photo of Jack and Delphine again.

"Mum… I'm gonna have to go and get Ruby… are you OK? Shall I pick up the twins and Matthew from nursery too?" She asked gently.

"Hmm?"

"Mum… come on." Katy sighed.

"_You and Jack? Never would have worked._" Phil announced, clumping into the room unsteadily with a can of lager clutched in his hand. "_Happily ever after? No, not for us Mitchells. Me? I should have listened to my old headmaster… 'No good will come of you, Mitchell!' Instead of struggling all these years, trying to make something of myself._"

"If you ain't struggling then you might as well be dead." Katy muttered, screwing up her nose at him in disgust. "You stink, Phil."

"Ha! Good one, Katy. You'll be joining me in hell soon enough." Phil chuckled drunkenly. "_The sooner you realise the whole thing is a complete waste of time the happier you'll be._"

Seconds later there was a gurgling sound and water splashed over Katy's arm. It took her a second to realise that the sensation had been caused by her mother throwing the contents of the vase on the table over Phil. She laughed out loud at the sight of her disgruntled step-uncle, soaking wet and covered in daffodils, spluttering incoherently in annoyance.

"_What are you doing, you stupid cow!_"

"_This has to stop, right here, right now, Phil!_" Ronnie screamed at him. "_You wallowing in your own self-pity… you pouring that poison down your neck!_"

"_There's no point phoning Sharon._" Phil said with a shrug as the blonde pulled out her mobile.

"_Hello, can I have a cab, please? Number 27, Albert Square going to Walford General. Make it as soon as you can, yeah?_"

"Good luck with that." Katy muttered, striding out of the room. "I'm going to pick up the kids."


	119. Chapter 119

"How did it go at the hospital?" Katy asked as soon as Ronnie returned to the house, meeting her in the kitchen and sighing deeply.

"Until Phil stops drinking there's nothing they can do except manage the symptoms."

"And he ain't gonna stop, is he?"

"I don't think so." Ronnie sighed again. "He's given up… he said he's dying and that we should just let him go the way he chose."

"He doesn't mean it… he's just…"

"I reminded him that he's a Mitchell; whatever life throws at us, we take. I reminded him that you're following that philosophy. You're beating your cancer. He should be as strong as you."

Katy smiled weakly, looking away from her mother to flick the switch on the kettle. "Right… what did he say?"

"He said he can't… then he told me I'd given up on Jack."

"He's right." The younger Mitchell said with a shrug. "You saw that photo and that was it. You should fight for him, Mum." Her eyes widened. "We should go and stop the wedding."

"What?" Ronnie's eyes widened just as much as her daughter's. "What are you talking about?"

"Mum! It's a brilliant idea! You can show Dad just how much you love him!"

There was a pause and then the blonde nodded. "You're right… _I need to find the name of the hotel where Jack's getting married._"

"_Well I don't know what it is. Why?_" Honey asked as Ronnie opened her laptop. "_Why don't you check the photos again?_"

"There, look…" Katy tapped the logo on the photo, before enlarging it so that they could read the name.

"_Billy…_"

"_What?_"

"_Go get a car._" His fiancé ordered.

"_Where from?_"

"_Well I don't know!_" Honey shrugged. "_Go and borrow one! We've got a wedding to stop._"

"_Billy!_"

"_It's the best I could do!_" He told them with a shrug, wincing as the three women stared at the hearse parked behind him.

"_Are you kidding me?_" Ronnie demanded as her daughter spluttered with laughter.

"_Well, you didn't give me much notice, did ya?_"

"_Well at least it'll get me there._" She shrugged, jogging towards it. Sensing her daughter following, the blonde turned and frowned. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm coming with you!" Katy told her as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "My Mum is rushing to stop my Dad's wedding… no way am I missing this."

Sensing that the battle was already lost, Ronnie nodded. "_Oh, Honey? You alright with Matthew_ and the girls?"

"_Of course!_" The brunette beamed. "_Hurry… go!_"

Climbing into the back of the hearse, ignoring Billy's cautionary cries and requests that she didn't scuff the woodwork, Katy lay on her stomach and poked her head over the back of the seat, grinning at her mother, who was frowning at her discontentedly. Laughing, the younger woman twisted her head and realised that Billy was sending her a half wary, half disapproving look.

"I'm practising." Katy told them with a chuckle. "Not many people get to rehearse their big journey in the back of a hearse."

"Oh, stop it." Ronnie ordered her. "Don't be so morbid."

"I'm not. It's pretty funny, Mum. Even you have to admit that."

"I don't have to do any such thing." The blonde retorted petulantly. "Come on, Billy!"

They drove out of Walford and then out of London itself. The concrete and buildings gradually gave way to green and trees and the three Mitchells all revelled in the feeling of freedom that came from leaving the city and congestion behind them. They travelled on through the winding country lanes in the direction that the app on Ronnie's mobile was sending them.

Without warning, there was a loud bang and the hearse's engine suddenly cut out completely. The three of them glanced at each other warily as the hearse rolled to a halt. Ronnie turned her head slowly to stare at her cousin, who appeared to be pointedly avoiding her gaze.

"_Billy…_"

"Errr…" He pulled a face. "Maybe you should take a look… you know more about engines and stuff than I do."

Sighing deeply and rolling her eyes at him, the blonde climbed out of the vehicle and rounded the bonnet. She waited for him to pop it, before lifting it and securing it in place with the metal arm. Scrambling down into the front, Katy clambered out and went to see if she could help.

Together the two women checked the oil and water levels and looked for anything that could possibly have caused the engine to fail as it had. None of them wanted to face the inevitable and admit that they had simply run out of fuel. After a couple of minutes prodding around under the bonnet, Ronnie signalled for her cousin to try starting the hearse again. He turned it over, but nothing happened. Much to their frustration, the hearse simply refused to start.

"_I don't understand!_" Ronnie called as Billy tried, and failed, to start the engine yet again. "_I've done everything textbook._"

"_The thing is, Ron… we've run out of petrol._" He admitted nervously. "_I was in a rush! I didn't have time to think._"

"_Billy!_" The blonde exclaimed, slapping his shoulder violently in her frustration. "_This is a stupid idea! Jack is going to be halfway to a honeymoon by now. I'm going to call recovery…_"

"Mum… surely we can't be that far away now?" Katy asked, pulling her mobile out of her hands and staring at the sat nav app that was on the screen. "Look!"

"_I think we're only a couple of miles away from the hotel._" Ronnie agreed, peering at the screen too. "_I'm gonna run it._"

"_What?_" Billy spluttered

Katy's eyebrows shot towards her hairline. "Hang on, what?"

"_Yeah!_" The blonde grinned. "_Billy, go and get petrol and then come and get me, yeah? _Katy! Come on!"

"_Alright!_" Billy agreed, still slightly bemused.

"_See you later!_"

"Mum!" Katy shouted after the woman rapidly heading towards the trees. "Oh… bloody hell… wait for me!"

Taking off after her, the young woman was already regretting deciding to join her mother on this quest. They trekked through fields and trees in the direction indicated by Ronnie's phone. Katy complained the whole way, frequently reminding her mother that she was ill and in no condition to run miles through the countryside.

Laughing at her complaints, the blonde reached back and took hold of her daughter's hand, pulling her along in her wake. Ronnie reminded Katy that it had been down to her persistent nagging that they were on Jack's trail in the first place and she should be counting herself lucky that Ronnie had deigned to let her tag along in the first place. None of that, though, was much comfort to the breathless brunette and neither, surprisingly, was her mother's suggestion that she should take up running now that she was getting better.

"Oh my God… finally…" Katy gasped as they reached the driveway of the fancy country hotel. She doubled over, trying to force the air into her lungs and watching her mother approaching the building at the same time. "Hang on…"

"Hurry up!" Ronnie called over her shoulder, not even breaking her stride or turning to look at her daughter.


End file.
